God of Shadows
by MidnightEden234
Summary: A diary, an artifact, and a pure soul. In the wrong hands, these would lead to an era of darkness. As fortune would have it, Ichigo Kurosaki is the one who finds the diary which leads him to an ancient artifact. Sealed away inside is a dangerous spirit, the God of Shadows. He wants Ichigo to set him free. / HichiIchi AU
1. Pilot

"What'cha reading?" Rukia questioned.

Ichigo flinched and looked up at Rukia, as though he had just snapped out of a trance.

"It's a book I found," he answered. "Someone left it at the back. It has no library tag, so I assume it belongs to someone. I took it for safe keeping, but once I opened it… It tells an interesting story."

"Okay." Rukia raised her right brow. "What is it about?"

"It's a journal from the late 1800s written by some guy named Kisuke Urahara," Ichigo said.

Rukia chuckled. She knew Ichigo well enough that once he got into a book there was no stopping him. He would sit in her café for weeks, sipping tea or hot chocolate, reading. Just reading.

"You want the usual then?"

"Tea this time," Ichigo replied. He looked down at the book again, flipping to the next entry. "Thanks."

She ruffled his hair and turned on her heels. "No problem."

Ichigo narrowed his eyes in order to make out the harsh writing. He had to follow the letters with his fingers every once in a while, in order to decode what word he was looking at. He read:

July 12th, 1882

We are joining the United States in something called the Egyptian Expedition.

We have been warned by Captain Yamamoto that we should not be keeping any records of this expedition. It is supposed to be a secret to the world, a mission that no one would ever find out about. Not even our families know where we shall be spending the next month.

I cannot help but to disobey his orders. This is the greatest adventure of my life! Even if the artifact is not found, I am still pleased to have been invited on this mission. Yoruichi is the only one who knows of my journal.

We are part of a secret group from Japan. We are to be guided by 3 US Navy ships, who shall be kept on record as a cover up for the real mission. Their crews are going to help ours sneak deeper into Egypt, reaching Giza as indicated on an ancient map.

We should be arriving any day now.

That's all I have! Time for breakfast! It's a fresh catch of fish today. We'll be making sushi out of whatever remains of our rations from when we left Japan.

Ichigo sighed and sat back in his seat. He saw Rukia boiling the water for his tea behind the counter. He gave her a smile and she waved back.

"You're gonna burn yourself out if you keep reading like that," said a woman from behind him.

Ichigo placed a sticky note onto the page then shut the book. He turned around and smirked, "Hey, Tatsuki. How's it going?"

She shrugged. "Could be worse, could be better. Can I join you?"

"Sure."

Ichigo's gaze followed Tatsuki as she took a seat opposite of him. She shrugged off a blue backpack and placed it on the ground in front of her. "So," she said, "what have you been up to?"

Ichigo shrugged. "Same as always. I'm still working at the library. We got a new employee last week. He travelled here from Mexico, but he was apparently born in the United States."

Tatsuki's eyes widened. "Really? What's he doing in Japan?"

"He said he was fascinated by Japan's culture. So, he moved to Karakura."

Tatsuki nodded and folded her legs just as Rukia arrived. She placed Ichigo's tea down on a coaster then glanced at Tatsuki. "Do you want anything?"

"Coffee. Black, please."

"Gotcha!" Rukia hopped off.

Ichigo took a sip of his tea. He reached for the journal, but stopped when Tatsuki started to speak again. "So," she grinned, "aren't you gonna ask what I've been up to?"

Ichigo blinked. "Oh. Well, yeah, sure. What's up?"

Tatsuki reached into her backpack. A silver trinket was pulled forth. It sparkled in the café light. "I came in second at the finals for women's boxing! Isn't that great?"

Ichigo smiled. "That is. Congratulations!"

She chuckled, "They weren't pushovers either. That last girl was tough! She almost knocked me out! I'm tellin' ya, it's not like the dojo around here. These girls work out, hard, unlike you."

Ichigo pouted. "What's that supposed to mean?"

Tatsuki snorted. "Oh c'mon Ichigo. When's the last time you beat me?"

Ichigo shrugged.

"Never," she answered. "You've got the skills, but not the competitive drive. You could be a real champ!"

Ichigo shook his head. "Naw. That stuff's not for me."

"Too bad," Tatsuki sighed. "You always have your nose in a book."

"Can't help it," Ichigo answered.

She looked Ichigo's newest book over. "Well, at least it's not Shakespeare this time."

Ichigo gasped. "How dare you? Shakespeare is a god!"

Tatsuki laughed. "Sure, if you speak alien."

"It's not that hard to understand…"

Tatsuki scoffed and smiled as Rukia appeared with her coffee. Ichigo tore open his satchel and took out the Merchant of Venice. "Here," he said, handing it to Tatsuki. "Open it to a random page and read what's there. I'll prove to you that it's not hard to understand."

Ichigo watched Tatsuki's eyes light up with enthusiasm. She could never resist a challenge. "Alright, fine." She took the book and cut it open, almost in half. Ichigo watched her eyes scan the page for a place to start, then she read,

"The first, of gold, which this inscription bears:  
'Who chooses me shall gain what many men desire';  
The second, silver, which this promise carries:  
'Who chooses me shall get as much as he deserves';  
This third, dull lead, with warning just as blunt:  
'Who chooses me must give and hazard all he has.'  
But how will I know if I have chosen right?"

A soft grin was on Ichigo's lips. Tatsuki stopped him before he could say anything, "I remember this scene! You're not out of the woods yet, Ichigo. Morocco chooses the golden chest because he believes gold suits Portia. That's romantic, isn't it? How come Shakespeare chose that one to be the wrong chest?"

Ichigo answered immediately, "Because it's not what's on the outside that counts, and Morocco saw Portia as only a possession to show off, that's why he was wrong. It was a skull inside that symbolized how his thinking would forever leave him to die alone."

Tatsuki bit her lip in thought. Ichigo could feel excitement filling his chest. There were very few things he took pride in, but knowing his Shakespeare was one of them. Tatsuki sighed, "Alright, you got me."

"See?" Ichigo chuckled, "it's not that hard to interpret Shakespeare's meanings."

Tatsuki smiled too, a hint of pink on her cheeks.

Rukia stood above the two, her arms folded. "Glad to see you're feeling better, Tatsuki."

"I am, thanks." She stood up and took her plastic coffee cup in hand. "Thanks for entertaining me for a bit, Ichigo. Hopefully I'll see you again soon." Tatsuki zipped up her backpack and lugged it over her shoulder. Ichigo watched her leave.

"She seems much happier now," Rukia commented.

"Now?" Ichigo inquired. "What do you mean?"

"She was really bummed about coming in second place. If I didn't know her, I'd say she was gonna cry, but you cheered her up. You have such a strange way of doing that. This place is always happier when you're here."

Ichigo knew his cheeks were turning red – they were burning. "Th-Thanks, I guess?"

"Heh, you're welcome." Rukia smiled and marched back to the counters.

Ichigo let his eyes adjust once more to the quaint little café. The scent of coffee and other spices filled the room, along with the musk of old wood. The café was hot from all the people marching in and out all day. Ichigo could feel sweat gathering on the back of his neck.

The 21-year-old librarian checked the time. The rustic clock indicated 4:45. The café closed in 15 minutes since it was a Sunday, but Rukia usually let him sit inside while she cleaned.

Ichigo went back to the journal.

July 15th, 1882

We arrived, it seems, just in time for the fighting to stop. It was early evening when we docked on shore at Alexandria. Smoke has blanketed the city.

I can see signs of war everywhere. Children crying. Bodies still. Men wounded.

We are summoned above deck.

July 16th, 1882

We are forced to wait as Yamamoto negotiates with the Captain of the American fleet.

He came back hours later and informed us that we'll be brought deeper into the desert soon. It shall be in three groups at a time, and most likely at an inconvenient time. So, we must be ready at all moments.

This concerns me greatly.

Are we not supposed to be here? I feel more like an outcast each hour. I thought we were welcome in Egypt. Then again, we did sneak into their land in the middle of a war.

It's all happening so quickly.

I'm worried that we're a distraction for the American army, or that Yamamoto isn't telling us something. What could they be hiding?

July 18th, 1882

The news came immediately this morning. We are being moved in right now.

"Ichigo!"

The orangette's head snapped up.

Rukia had a small smile on her lips, one that spelled regret. "I'm sorry, Ichigo. I'm going to have to kick you out now. I've got a date tonight so I cleaned up early."

Ichigo nodded. His own smile reassured Rukia that he wasn't upset. "That's fine with me. Can you put the rest of my tea into a to-go cup?"

"Sure thing!" Rukia hopped off.

Ichigo began to gather his things. He had some loose papers spread across the coffee table. They were notes he was _supposed_ to be looking over for his boss. He collected them into a neat pile and placed them into his satchel. Then he carefully placed the journal he'd found into a separate pocket in his bag. Rukia returned around the time he was done.

"Here," she said, handing him a green to-go cup.

Ichigo bowed his head gently. "Thank you. Good luck with your date!"

He noticed her cheeks turn red. "Th-Thanks!"

Ichigo turned towards the door, taking a sip of his tea as he went. He noticed Rukia had also added some more boiling water to it. It may have dulled the flavor a bit, but the tea bag would enhance it again in no time. Ichigo enjoyed strong tea.

A sigh left blossom-pink lips as soon as the fresh air hit him. Ichigo stopped as he reached the creek, peering into the dark water below. He caught a glimpse of his reflection in the water before the wind picked up and the water shimmered. Ichigo shivered. The wind was oddly cool for this time of year. He noticed the tips of the leaves were beginning to turn yellow.

"Jeez, September only just started. Karin would be throwing a fit," he said to himself.

Ichigo turned into the woods. He travelled through a hiking trail for a little more than five minutes before it opened again. There were a few houses to the right, and about twice as many to the left. Ichigo travelled down the right, stopping at a small, blue house. He approached the door and placed his key in the lock. He twisted the key and waited for the click, then he put the key back into his pocket and entered his house.

"Mrrow?" Came the call from Ichigo's cat, Tensa.

Rukia had found the kitten in the back of the café. Someone had left him alone. With a bit of insistence, she managed to persuade Ichigo to keep him. Ichigo named him Tensa and took him home. That was three months ago.

"Hello, Tensa. Your eye looks much better today."

Ichigo kicked off his boots and made his way slowly towards Tensa. One blue eye was wide with caution, while the other could only be half-opened. Tensa had been beaten and starved before being left at the café. As a result, the kitten was stressed and easy to agitate. Renji would tease Rukia about her being too scary to comfort the animal, and they both watched in awe as Ichigo got Tensa to eat from his hand. That was the true reason Rukia insisted that Ichigo take Tensa home.

"Are you hungry? I bet your food dish is empty by now."

Tensa blinked.

Ichigo chuckled and wandered into the kitchen. He took the bag of cat food out of a lower drawer and poured some into a dish. Tensa sat about a meter away.

"Come on. You know I don't bite."

Tensa wouldn't move. Ichigo grabbed a handful of cat food and slowly laid down on the ground. He extended his hand to the cat. Tensa took a couple of steps forward at a time. He stopped to sniff the wooden floors, then he would take another few steps. It didn't take long before he licked Ichigo's hand and started to eat from it.

"Good boy…" Ichigo murmured. Tensa purred at his voice.

Ichigo waited for Tensa to finish his meal before getting up – this included watching Tensa to make sure he ate all the food in his dish. Ichigo slowly moved to a sitting position. Tensa hopped up onto his leg and purred happily. Ichigo scooped the young cat into his arms and carried him into the living room. Ichigo laid down on the couch and Tensa adjusted accordingly. Ichigo slowly drifted to sleep with Tensa resting on his chest.

* * *

 **Hello and thank you so much for reading my fanfiction! No need to worry, more chapters are indeed on their way!**

 **This story is paced differently than my other fanfictions as well. This is because I'm trying a new style of writing, and I'm rather enjoying it so far.**

 **Leave a review and let me know what you think. Cheers!**

 **~Midnight**


	2. His Calling

**Update: just fixed some minor errors.**

* * *

Ichigo blinked awake a few hours later. Tensa had moved from his chest to somewhere else in the house. Ichigo turned onto his side and reached for his bag. Luckily, his couch wasn't too far from where he'd dropped his satchel earlier. It toppled over and the flap opened. Ichigo stuck his hand into the pocket of his bag where he usually kept his phone. When the phone wasn't there, he checked his back pocket.

Retrieving the phone took a strange motion consisting of Ichigo shifting around and lifting his hips from the couch. He brought the device to his face. It was 9:37, and someone had messaged him.

It was an unknown number. _"Come to me."_

Ichigo blinked in utter shock. He turned the screen off and placed the phone gently down on the floor.

"Honestly…" He breathed after a minute, deciding the text was simply a prank.

Ichigo retrieved the journal from his bag. He found the page he had left off at and continued reading.

July 20th, 1882

I finally have a chance to write in this after two days of traveling.

I cannot seem to sleep tonight, which is the only reason I am not writing this tomorrow morning. After two days of travel, one would think I'd be exhausted.

Alas, I cannot shake the feeling of being observed. There is also a feeling of being beckoned which accompanies the first sensation.

I think I'm simply excited to venture into the pyramids tomorrow. Surely, once I have been inside, this feeling shall disappear.

Perhaps I should find a means of distracting myself until then.

The stars are very beautiful tonight. Even though I am in a new- no, not new, very ancient – I am in an unfamiliar land, the stars remind me of home. So does Yoruichi's snoring. I hope my writing and my candle light does not wake her. She would not be pleased.

I see that many other tents remain lit. Shunsui and Jushiro are outside, like me. Yamamoto remains within his tent, but his lantern is burning brightly. They are the oldest out of everyone here. They may simply be star-gazing or over-thinking the situation as I am. Regardless, I am not the only one who cannot sleep this night.

I can't wait to see what tomorrow holds.

The next entry almost seemed like a mistake.

Ichigo had to squint at the date to convince himself that he was reading it correctly.

July 24th

I must write quickly.

I am concerned that I shall not have another opportunity to write again for some time.

The events since my last entry shall be impossible to believe. If someone is reading this, although I still do not intend for eyes to ever reach these pages again, then please do so carefully. If it were not for the artifact we have successfully retrieved, I would think the past few days were a hallucination.

Four of us died: Soi Fon, Yamamoto, Kenpachi and Mayuri. They were amazing explorers and brave until the end. I should hope their sacrifices to never be forgotten.

This journal should remain undiscovered. The contents of this journal should never reach another's eyes. A false story shall be told about the four who have passed on, but the truth shall remain in this journal and in the survivors' minds only.

We should never have gone after the artifact – the Hogyoku. It is too dangerous.

Ichigo stared in shock at the book in his hands. His two fingers pinched the page, ready to turn it over, but he found himself too scared to.

"Come on…" He murmured. "It's just a book."

"Mrow?" Tensa called. He jumped into Ichigo's lap.

Ichigo screamed. Tensa flinched but otherwise didn't budge. He curled up in Ichigo's lap.

Ichigo sighed and pet Tensa.

"Alright, thanks for your support…" Ichigo flipped the page over and continued reading.

The Hogyoku belongs to the Egyptian God of Shadows, or rather, it has become the God of Shadows. He tells me he was sealed away in this artifact by Ra himself! I cannot write down his name. It is too dangerous. Though, he tells me, in my tongue his name is Shiro.

Those of us who remain shall get rid of this artifact. It is powerful. I can feel the weight of it in my heart even as I simply hold it in my hand.

Several lines later, written as an afterthought was:

I have hidden the artifact. It shall never be discovered again.

Ichigo glanced at the next page. It was blank. He scowled and flipped through the remaining pages of the diary. All empty.

He returned to the last entry and slid his finger down the crack between the two pages. He could feel it, the fuzzy remains of a torn piece of paper. Someone had ripped out a page from this book.

"Mrr!" Tensa half purred, half growled.

Ichigo realized he had squished Tensa's tail. "Sorry, pal…" He immediately shifted his leg so that Tensa could be free. The kitten marched away from Ichigo's legs and plopped down on his chest. Ichigo chuckled, "Yeah, yeah… stay away from my legs. Their deadly traps, you know?"

The kitten curled up and started to sleep.

Ichigo sighed and shut the journal. Then he placed it on the ground. He pulled the blanket off the back of the couch and began to drift to sleep.

" _Ichigo…"_

The young man shifted in his sleep. Tensa snorted and hopped off of his grumpy owner.

" _I want you."_

 _Ichigo reached forward. He was in a dimly-lit hallway, the walls made of crumbling stone. He shuffled forward, towards the whispers that caressed his ears._

 _He noticed the ground was slowly beginning to tilt downwards. When it was almost too steep to stand, a rope appeared by his face. Ichigo grasped the rope in his hands and began to climb it._

 _He pulled himself up onto a ledge, this one tilting upwards. He hiked up its slope until a chamber appeared._

 _Ichigo's heart raced. He knew this was where he wanted to be._

 _He entered the room, but it was empty. Dust and a stone coffin were all that remained._

 _Ichigo turned to leave when a whisper graced his ear again. He looked back around only to find that the wall had vanished, and on the other side was a golden box. Ichigo approached with caution. He took the box in his hands and immediately felt a sense of power._

The orangette snapped upright on his couch. He could feel his shirt glued to his skin with sweat.

Ichigo tossed off the blanket and stood up. He assessed the silence of his house and viewed the room to make sure that nothing had changed. Once he was certain everything was fine, he hopped in the shower.

* * *

"If you really want my opinion," Rukia said, "then I think you're just exhausted. You work long ass shifts at the library, then you take home that journal… it's all getting to your head!"

Ichigo huffed and flipped through the pages of journal once more, stopping at the last entry. "But look here. Just after he gets the artifact, a page is missing. I swear Rukia, there's more to this!"

"No way," Rukia scowled. "You're nuts."

Ichigo frowned and examined the page one last time. "What if there's really something to this?"

"What if!" Rukia set down her coffee with vigor. "What if you're wasting your time on a dead man's journal? What if the missing page was taken out years ago and never to be found again? What if the missing page was a map and someone else found the artifact? Or, what if this thing really exists, and it's really cursed, and _you_ get into trouble?"

Ichigo blinked. Then he smiled, "Aww, Rukia… I didn't know you cared so much!"

"Don't change the subject!" She pouted. "I'm telling you unless you hire some expert or find the missing page, this is just a dead end."

Rukia marched off to go scrub down a table. Ichigo leaned across the counter and sighed. The weight of Rukia's truth crushed his shoulders and his spirit. Although, part of him knew why he'd come here, and why he waited in the café until closing time once again in order to speak with Rukia. Because Ichigo knew that Rukia would snap his head back into reality, that's why he trusted her so much. She would also give him her honest opinion.

" _You're so close…"_

"Huh!?" Ichigo jumped.

"What!?" Rukia questioned.

"Did you hear something?" Ichigo questioned.

Rukia shook her head. "Nothing. Don't scare me like that!"

"Sorry," Ichigo mumbled and slid off the stool. "Is there anyone else here?"

"No, it's just us." Rukia threw the cloth at Ichigo's head. "Knock it off!"

"What?" Ichigo ripped the cloth off his face.

"You're scaring me!"

" _I want you…"_

Ichigo flinched and his head turned towards the kitchen door. He _knew_ he heard something this time. "Who's there!?"

"Ichigo!" Rukia snapped, "There is _nothing_ there! There is _no one_ here! Now knock. It. Off!"

Ichigo ignored her and moved towards the back. Rukia sighed and shuffled along behind him. Ichigo entered the kitchen and looked around. When he wasn't satisfied with this room, he moved into the pantry. He knelt and examined the ground. Different smells attacked his nose and stung his eyes. There was one smell in particular that stood out: cinnamon. Rukia flicked on the lights and Ichigo was able to see a bunch of it spilled across the floor.

"Damn it. Renji can't fuckin' clean up after himself," Rukia muttered. "Hold on. I'll get a mop or something."

Ichigo nodded and got back up onto his feet. Rukia returned with a mop and began to clean up the mess. As she began to scrub the wooden floor, one of the boards came loose.

Ichigo and Rukia shared a look.

"No," she warned. "If it's nothing, and you rip up the floor, I'll get into trouble!"

"Just blame Renji," Ichigo joked before he dropped down and yanked open the floorboard.

Inside was what looked like a scrunched up piece of paper.

"No. Friggen. Way," Rukia said. "That can't be."

Ichigo grabbed the paper and found it surprisingly heavy. It came open and a glass ball spilled out of Ichigo's hands. He tensed, expecting a loud shatter, but the ball never touched the floor. It hovered about a foot from the ground. Rukia gulped - loud enough to hear through the silent café. She set the mop aside and reached for the glass ball with her cloth. She wrapped it carefully before turning to Ichigo.

Ichigo took this as his cue to do something. He felt the paper still scrunched in his hand. He carefully opened it. "This is it," Ichigo murmured. "This is the missing page."

Rukia nodded. "Well? What does it say?"

Ichigo read:

February 18th, 1921

I am sick. Shiro fears I may die soon. I know he is right.

He urges me to give him my soul so that I can live eternally. He and I have become great friends. I refuse anyway. I do not fear death.

Shiro knows I shall never say yes. His offer was more one of friendship than of seriousness.

I have realized I can no longer keep this journal a secret. Someone must read what has gone on, it would be an insult to the others if their story is not told. That being said, I am extremely selfish for placing this burden upon anyone reading this – you must be warned.

I've spent my entire life trying to keep the world away from Shiro. He has been kind to me despite this. He's the only friend I have since Yoruichi passed 2 years ago.

The Hogyoku rested with it's previous owner, a pharaoh. He too made no contract with Shiro and vowed to hide the Hogyoku well beyond death. The tomb was cursed so that anyone who entered it would be killed within a year. Evidence of Shiro's honesty. Shiro's power warded off the curse for me and Yoruichi for some time. It's the only reason we lived longer than the others.

If you have found this page, then I know you have a pure soul. Only those who are kind hearted can hear Shiro's whispers and discover the Hogyoku. Shiro will no doubt attempt to seduce you into giving him your soul. If you do this, he shall walk the Earth again. He must first make a contract with you, and then he becomes your shadow. He is opposite to you but remains his own person. It is difficult to explain. The greater your soul shines, the more opposite his becomes, and the darker his soul, then the more powerful he becomes. Perhaps, if you choose to make a contract with him, you'll gain a better understanding.

I have learned there are two other ways of acquiring Shiro's power. If you should give your soul to Shiro, then have the artifact stolen from you, and have the thief kill you, then the thief shall inherit the Hogyoku. Shiro's power shall still be a shadow of your soul, and so the thief does not have to give up their soul in order to use Shiro. This may sound bad for you, but do not fear. Shiro is powerful and shall not allow you to die. The second way of gaining Shiro's power is much scarier. Should Shiro be killed, you and he shall both vanish and the murderer shall become the new God of Shadows. They shall also be free of the Hogyoku. Fortunately, this cannot happen without the murderer knowing Shiro's true name, and his true name can't be revealed to you unless you make a contract with him. If you know Shiro's name and utter it as you kill him, you may become the God of Shadows, but if you recall, killing Shiro also kills anyone he is in contract with. You must understand what I am saying. Ra trapped Shiro with the intention of never allowing his power to fall into the wrong hands. Shiro thinks this is unfair, but I think he knows deep down that this is for the best.

So you see. If you have evil intentions, then your soul is not pure and Shiro shall gain no power from your soul. It would be useless to you. If the Hogyoku was found only because it called out to you, then you have a pure soul and shall continue to protect the Hogyoku. Please, keep it and Shiro safe. Try to find a better hiding place for it. Hopefully, one that is better than mine. Pray to the gods that it remains safe until another pure soul finds it, and they keep it safe again.

Do try to be kind to Shiro as well. It may seem that all he wants from you is your soul, but I know that he is suffering and could use some companionship.

Best wishes, Kisuke Urahara.

Ichigo lowered his arms once he was finished. The paper was held loosely in his fingers.

Rukia locked her gaze on the ground. "Well, that was certainly… something."

"Something for sure," Ichigo replied. "How much of that did you catch?"

"Enough." She shook her head. "I can't believe I'm saying this, but you totally heard this thing calling out to you."

Ichigo felt his gut clench. "No, I don't think..."

"You know you did," Rukia insisted. "Just before now you followed a voice that only you could hear and it brought you back here. And…" She looked up at Ichigo's face. "You did just, sort of, wander into here one day… That's how we met. You looked so lost, like you were searching for something."

"What do you mean?"

"The first time I saw you. You walked right into the café, and you were carrying a _duffle bag_! Shit, Ichigo! You don't remember? You marched right into the café after just getting into town. You told me that your gut said this would be a great place to stop by on your first official day in town. I sat for five minutes waiting for you find your wallet. Ichigo, that was your first day in Karakura, and you didn't make it to your house before you were drawn here!"

Her words almost didn't reach Ichigo's ears. "Rukia… this is insane!" he protested.

"Just take it home," she said, holding out the orb. "Maybe it _is_ nothing, or maybe you just found something really awesome! You're into these kinda things. It doesn't belong here, that's for sure, and it's creeping me out! If you just want to donate it or sell it, that's fine, but you'd be doing me a favour by taking it away from here."

Ichigo eyed the strange gem one last time. He nodded and took it and the cloth from Rukia. He tied the cloth around it then he stuffed it in his bag. He placed the paper next to it. "Happy?"

"Very."

Ichigo sighed. "What am I supposed to do now?"

"Just what 'Kisuke' told you to do, _keep it safe._ "

Ichigo nodded and tightened his grip on his bag. "Great. I guess I'm going home now."

Rukia grabbed her mop again. "Good luck Ichigo."

He turned towards the exit. "Thanks…"


	3. Awakened

He could feel a sixth sense nagging at him all the way home. Ichigo chalked it up to paranoia, but that only lead to anxiety, which made him think about the object in his bag, and that brought him full circle back to paranoia. Was he overthinking the situation and letting that journal get to him? Or was an _Egyptian God_ legitimately drawing him in?

The librarian shivered as another was of curiosity rushed through him.

Ichigo kicked off his shoes the moment he was inside his house. He left them lying in the middle of the doorway with just enough space left for the door to swing shut. Ichigo locked his door, dragged his bag to his room, and then collapsed onto his bed.

"This is not how I expected my day to go," he muttered into his pillow. Whether he was talking to himself or Tensa, Ichigo wasn't sure himself.

A minute passed and Ichigo flipped onto his back. He yanked his socks off and tossed them across the room. Ichigo leaned back into his pillow and shut his eyes.

"Sleep, sleep, sleep…" he murmured as a mantra.

Five more minutes passed.

Ichigo's fingers twitched. He slowly opened his eyes and they instantly locked onto his bag.

"Don't…" He said. "Ichigo Kurosaki, don't you _dare_ touch it."

His body was already moving towards it.

"Ichigo, _don't._ "

Tensa scratched at the bag. Ichigo paused to watch him play with the zipper. All too quickly, the kitten managed to unzip the bag and make it fall over. Ichigo could see Rukia's cloth.

"Fuck!" Ichigo cursed and jumped to his feet. Tensa scurried away while Ichigo yanked the cloth-covered object out of his bag. With a possessed glow in his eyes, Ichigo removed the cloth and held the object in his bare hands.

For a moment, nothing happened. Ichigo could feel the weight of the sphere in his hands, fingers brushing against its glossy surface. Then a deep laughter filled the voids of Ichigo's mind. He felt like he was being yanked and twisted in all different directions. Suddenly, the world went still, and Ichigo found himself laying on the ground with the Hogyoku still clutched tightly in his hand. He stumbled as he tried to sit up. All his limbs felt like jello.

"Here." A man extended his hand to Ichigo.

Ichigo blinked. _Such a pale-_

"H-Huh!?" Ichigo shot to his feet. Standing across from him was a colourless man, skin giving the same feel as freshly fallen snow. It took Ichigo a moment but it soon dawned on him that this man shared his exact features. Everything from his spiked hair to his sharp jaw had been perfectly copied, but remained colourless. "Y-You…" Ichigo said, "You must be Shiro?"

Shiro raised a pale brow. "I am. Guess ya found Kisuke's journal."

Ichigo gulped. "Well. Y-Yeah."

 _Is this real?_ Ichigo thought.

A grin crawled across Shiro's lips.

Ichigo felt a shiver work its way up his spine.

Shiro moved his fingers over his neck and felt his jaw and then his shoulders. This man was younger than Kisuke but felt strong all the same. Ichigo had a strong body, and yet his eyes held such softness to them. Shiro wanted to say it was because Ichigo was young, however, Ichigo's eyes also held a weight to them, a loneliness… Shiro could tell Ichigo had been through something rough.

And even Shiro, a God himself, couldn't resist the human's charms. He grinned as he leaned towards Ichigo, golden eyes swirling with mischief.

Ichigo flinched as his copy moved towards him.

"Hey," Shiro chuckled, his voice playful, "no need to be jumpy."

But Ichigo wasn't having it. Shiro took another step forward and Ichigo took another back.

"Hey now, don't be scared… I just wanna get a good look at yer pretty face," the god teased.

Ichigo felt his cheeks grow warm. "Shut up. Why don't get back into this thing and leave me alone!?" Ichigo held up the Hogyoku.

Shiro smiled and backed off. "Alright, relax…" His clothing shifted around. His sleeves shortened and his jeans loosened. Ichigo's copy soon wore a white tunic, the trim made of shimmering gold. His hair grew longer, twisted into a braid with a blue ribbon slipped into one of the strands for decoration. On his ears were two golden studs and golden cuffs that hooked behind his ear, giving them an elf-like appearance. He also had black tattoos across his arms and collar bones leading towards his chest, which was covered by the tunic. "I am only teasing you, Ichigo, because I wanted to see how you'd react."

Ichigo slowly folded his arms. "Right, well… for an ancient trapped spirit, you're really… uhh…" Shiro approached him, and Ichigo noticed that the other was suddenly taller.

Shiro grinned. "Sexy?"

"I WAS GONNA SAY ANNOYING!"

Shiro took another small step towards the orange-head. "That ain't nice! C'mon, Ichi. You _are_ talking to a god here."

"Pfft! A god of what, exactly?"

Ichigo noticed Shiro creeping closer and he immediately backed up. He grabbed a pillow and held it out between them like a shield.

"D-Don't come any closer," Ichigo gasped. Shiro was well within arm's distance now.

"Mm? Or what?"

"O-Or I'll…" Ichigo noticed Tensa sitting at the edge of the bed. "Or I'll send my pet after you!"

Shiro suddenly vanished. Ichigo lowered the pillow but kept it firm in his grasp just in case. After a moment, he collapsed onto his bed with an exhausted sigh. Ichigo heard Tensa purring. He turned towards him only to be met with shining gold on black eyes.

"Gah!" Ichigo shrieked.

Shiro snorted. "Ya know… I've always been rather fond of cats." He held the kitten in his arms and was petting him with care. "An' Tensa 'er tells me you've been taking great care of him."

Ichigo's eyebrows knitted together. "He… has? Wait, you can talk to cats?"

Shiro nodded and poked Ichigo's nose. "I'm a god, remember?"

Ichigo sighed and sat up. Tensa was in Shiro's arms, purring happily. Ichigo pulled his knees to his chest and observed the two with a smile. They were kind of… cute.

"Yer a pure soul, for sure," Shiro said. He locked eyes with Ichigo. "I imagine you know how my power works, since ya read Kisuke's diary and all. You'd give me one hell of a power boost, Ichi~"

Ichigo shook his head. "No," he said. "I'm sorry, but it doesn't interest me…"

Shiro shrugged. He'd more or less been expecting that answer.

Ichigo felt a little bad. Shiro looked… disappointed. "I'm exhausted," Ichigo added, "This is too much for one day. Can we talk about it tomorrow?"

Shiro's smile reached his eyes. "Ya got it, Ichi."

Ichigo nodded and brought his hands up to rub his eyes. When he opened them again, Shiro was gone and Tensa was resting on one of Ichigo's pillows. He kicked off his pants but kept his sweater on, and slid beneath the covers. It wasn't long before Ichigo felt a weight behind him and arms around him. He grumbled, "Do you mind?"

"Not at all," Shiro murmured against Ichigo's neck.

"Why are you spooning me?"

"If you don't want me to, then I'll stop," Shiro replied. "But I sense that you're lonely. I only wanted to comfort you."

Ichigo scowled and turned away. Shiro shifted away from Ichigo. He glanced at Ichigo's shoulders and noticed them shaking. "You poor boy," Shiro spoke softly. "Kisuke was 43 when he found me. You're hardly what, 20?"

"21," Ichigo replied.

Shiro nodded. "So young… and yet too old to be this handsome and without a girlfriend. You poor thing."

Ichigo huffed. "Would you knock it off? My private life is none of your business."

Shiro chuckled, "Oi, Ichi~ I know yer name, how do you figure I don't know everything else about ya already?"

"Wait… huh!?" Ichigo spun around to face Shiro.

"I'm kidding, Ichigo. I heard you and Rukia talking, that's how I know your name. I also heard a lot of gossip back in that room, like how you have a preference for men. That's why I chose this form."

Ichigo scowled, "Looks don't mean anything to me if you're gonna be an ass! Why don't you show me what you really look like!? Since you're so keen on knowing my secrets, share some of yours!"

Fear filled Shiro's chest. No one had ever asked to see his true form before, and it didn't help that Ichigo looked so angry. "Show you what I really look like? Well, I can't. It's… hideous. You'd never fall for me then."

Ichigo rolled his eyes. "If you agree not to lie to me, then I'll answer some of your questions."

Shiro grinned and his eyes filled with excitement. Before Ichigo could have second thoughts, Shiro shouted, "Deal!"

Ichigo had a feeling he was going to regret this.

Shiro covered Ichigo's eyes. Ichigo found Shiro's touch to be surprisingly gentle. He waited in silence. Only the shifting of Shiro's body gave him any indication that Shiro was changing shape. Ichigo gulped, unsure of what Shiro was going to look like once Shiro removed his hand.

"Okay…" Shiro whispered. Ichigo felt the warmth of Shiro's hand vanish. His eyes remained closed, and yet he so desperately wanted to open them.

Brown eyes blinked open, and a gasp escaped Ichigo's lips.

Ichigo's eyes were immediately drawn to the black-feathered wings on Shiro's back. He reached out to touch them and found the wings to be like silk. Next, he noticed the dark, black horns sticking out of Shiro's skull, a bold contrast to his white hair. He viewed them with caution, and didn't dare to touch them since they looked sharp. He followed Shiro's white strands across his bare chest, and discovered that Shiro's tattoos lead to a hole in his chest. Ichigo reached for the Hogyoku that had been left in a pile of sheets on the bed. He held it close to Shiro's chest, noticing that the Hogyoku was similar in size to the hole in Shiro's chest.

"No one's put that together so quickly before…" Shiro murmured.

"What is it?" Ichigo asked, his eyes on the orb.

"In some ways… my heart?"

Ichigo blinked. He carefully placed the Hogyoku down on his bedside table, tucked between his clock and lamp where it wouldn't roll away.

Ichigo turned back to face Shiro. "Wow…"

Shiro grinned. "What?"

"I dunno…" Ichigo mumbled. "Well I mean, I've never seen anyone with wings before. They look amazing."

Shiro chuckled. "Thank you… now, as for our deal…"

Ichigo frowned.

"You have to tell me exactly what it takes to get you to fall in love with me!"

Ichigo threw a pillow at Shiro's face.

* * *

Ichigo woke that morning to Shiro nuzzling him close. Shiro was warm and his hold was gentle, which was an addicting change from the usual cold and lonely mornings Ichigo suffered. He almost didn't want to get out of bed, but he had work soon.

"Shiro?" Ichigo whispered.

Shiro grunted and hugged Ichigo a little tighter.

"Shiro?" Ichigo said a little louder.

"Wha…?"

"I have to get ready for work, so if you could let me go…"

"Mm, but yer so comfy…" Shiro mumbled.

Ichigo sighed and slowly leaned back against Shiro. He felt sturdy arms wrap around him instantly. He stared at the clock as Shiro slowly woke up. Ichigo felt himself shiver when Shiro's hair brushed across the back of his neck.

"I have never met someone so afraid of physical contact," Shiro muttered.

Ichigo's lips parted only in a sigh. He felt fingers following the line of his jaw, the touch soft and soothing. He was tempted to go back to sleep. "I'm not afraid. I'm just not used to or comfortable with it anymore."

"Anymore?"

"The last relationship I had… ended on a bad note. I found out he was married. It hurt. We weren't super serious, but we were close. Since then, I've blocked out romance and relationships and just focused on my career."

Ichigo could feel Shiro's fingers playing in his hair now. He closed his eyes and focused on the rhythmic back-and-forth of his hand.

"I'm sorry to hear that," Shiro replied. "I promise I won't ever leave your side, unless you get rid of the Hogyoku. You can pass possession onto another person. You must hand it to them intentionally. However, I really hope you don't. I like ya, Ichi. You've got spirit, and you're so gentle. There's also something about you that draws me in."

"Hm…" Ichigo grunted.

Shiro blinked. "Ichigo…" He shook him softly. "Oi, don't go falling asleep! You have work, remember? Ichi!"

* * *

"Have a good day, and enjoy your new-" Ichigo's gaze froze on Shiro, who was currently playing with the customer's hair. Ichigo tried to ignore him. "Enjoy your new book…"

The customer nodded and walked out of the library.

"Stop doing that," Ichigo hissed at Shiro.

Shiro chuckled, "Aww, c'mon~ Yer the only one who can see me, so how can I pass up the opportunity to have a little fun?"

"The customers are gonna think I've gone insane," Ichigo said.

"That's the point," Shiro smirked. "And now yer talkin' to yourself in front of yer colleague."

Ichigo's eyes widened and he turned around in time to see their new staff member approaching him. Ichigo could feel sweat gathering on the back of his neck. "H-Hiya, Sosuke. Don't you start work at 12:00? What are you doing here half-an-hour early?"

Aizen smiled. "Well, my appointment finished early and I didn't really have anywhere else to be. You finish at 12:00, don't you? Why don't you let me take over now?"

Ichigo blinked. "What? No, I couldn't do that. It wouldn't be fair to you."

Aizen chuckled, "You sure? Well, I suppose I'll use my extra time to find the book I left around here."

Ichigo stiffened. "You mean, like a journal?"

Aizen's eyes landed on Ichigo with a bit of surprise. "Yes, that's it. Have you seen it?"

"Yeah! Found it the other day, actually." Ichigo smiled and knelt under the counter. He took the book from his satchel then handed it to Aizen. "It's written by Kisuke Urahara, right? I've never actually heard of him… but he writes some interesting fantasy."

Aizen's glasses glinted in the light. "Yes, fantasy. You came to that conclusion as well, did you?"

Ichigo nodded. "His writing is rather convincing, but it seems frantic and there are too many details missing for it to be accepted as fact."

The man's grin didn't reach his eyes. "I would object to that. I'd say that his fast-paced writing makes it more realistic. It seems to me that he didn't take the time to fabricate a story, but rather he wrote it as the events happened to him."

Ichigo gulped. "Interesting hypothesis. I assume you've looked into the events of the journal then? I haven't really had time to."

"I have." Aizen's fingers drummed against the cover of the journal. "I also researched Kisuke Urahara. He owned a shop here in Karakura. Do you know the café just two blocks down from here? That used to be his shop. He sold antiques from his travels."

Ichigo paused to let the information sink it. He noticed that he and Aizen had been getting progressively closer. Ichigo shifted away and Aizen took a step back.

"Well," Aizen chuckled. "I had hopes of finding this artifact there but it seems as though all of Kisuke's possessions were removed from the building. Thank you for your opinion on this journal, Ichigo, even if I disagree with it."

"Anytime," Ichigo murmured. Aizen disappeared into the back and Ichigo was left alone in the library. He let out a sigh, "Well, that was different."

"Indeed," Shiro whispered.

* * *

After Ichigo was done working, he retreated to his usual spot: Rukia's café. He sat at the front on one of the many stools, a pout on his lips as he told Rukia about the events of his day.

"He won't stop calling me 'Ichi' and it's so damn annoying."

A black brow was raised in skepticism. "Oh really? You _don't_ like the attention?"

"Please Rukia, you have to help me! Only I can see him and he's, well… Rukia, he's a massive pain."

Rukia snorted.

"You think this is funny, don't you?"

Rukia laughed. "What? Haha- no? Of course not!" She grinned. "Have fun, 'Ichi'!"

Ichigo pouted as he took a sip of his tea.

As Rukia calmed down, her gaze was lost over Ichigo's shoulder and out the window.

Ichigo set down his tea on the table. "Something wrong?"

"It's Renji," Rukia huffed. "He was supposed to be here today to work 10-6, but he never showed up."

It was Ichigo's turn to tease Rukia a little. "Oh? You don't think he's off with a girl, do you?"

"Not funny, Ichigo Kurosaki," she snapped. "I'm just… really worried. He doesn't skip work. Maybe he missed a day once or twice, but he always texts me."

Ichigo twirled the string from his teabag around his finger. "I'm sure he's fine. I'll go check your apartment if you're so worried about him, and I'll tell him to call you if I see him."

Rukia returned her focus to Ichigo and smiled. "Thanks. You're a great friend."

"I just do what any friend should."


	4. More Than What He Bargained For

"She's right, you know," Shiro murmured after Ichigo left the café.

"About what?"

"You _are_ a good friend." Shiro slung his arm around Ichigo's shoulders.

Ichigo tensed at Shiro's touch. He shrugged softly. "I guess. Renji is also seriously a dumbass. He needs someone to look after him."

Shiro snickered. "So, you have feelings for this 'Renji'?"

"Nah. He's dating Rukia and he's not my type."

"Oh~? Ichi has a type, does he?"

"I didn't mean it like that." Ichigo shoved Shiro's arm off his shoulders. "He's straight is what I meant. He's also a little homophobic, but I don't think he means to be. He tries to be supportive, he just doesn't understand. I don't blame him though. His dad's an asshole who conditioned Renji to be that way since birth." Ichigo smiled, "Rukia really helped him get out of there. She's the reason Renji isn't living with his dad anymore. They rent a place together downtown. She's also the reason Renji warmed up to me. He tries hard to understand me. It's nice, the amount of effort he makes. It can also get a little annoying though. I wish he'd just accept it and move on, instead of making a fuss. Being gay should be just as 'normal' as being straight."

Shiro felt his heart melt a little at Ichigo's smile but more so at Ichigo's voice. It conveyed the love and care he felt for his friends, but also the stubbornness and pride the man felt in the core of his heart. Shiro could listen to him speak forever.

"Sorry," Ichigo murmured. "I got a little off topic there."

Shiro chuckled. "No. It's nice to hear your thoughts. And it's good to know you trust me with them."

"Well, it was part of our deal, wasn't it? For me to be honest?" Ichigo glanced at Shiro. Joy filled Ichigo's chest at the look of absolute acceptance in Shiro's eyes. His smile felt natural and relaxed. He stopped walking and pointed to a grey building with four floors. "This is where they live. I-I'll only be a moment. . ."

"I'm not going anywhere," Shiro winked.

Ichigo approached the apartment. He slipped in through the front doors to where the buzzers were. He pressed the button for room 2-07 and waited.

After the fifth try, Ichigo took out his phone and dialed Renji's number. He left a voicemail, "Oi, Renji! Rukia's worried for ya. You gonna call her or what?"

There was a click. Then, "Is this Ichigo Kurosaki?"

Ichigo felt his heart jump. "Y-Yes… who is this?"

"My name is not important." Ichigo frowned. He _knew_ he recognized that voice, but from where? "Listen to me very carefully Ichigo Kurosaki. I want you to go home, straight home. From your current location, it should take you about 15 minutes. If you are not home in that time, Renji will be killed."

The line went dead. Ichigo hung up his phone and shoved it in his pocket. He broke out into a run.

"Ichigo!?" Shiro called. "Oi! What's wrong?"

"He's in trouble!"

* * *

Ichigo opened his door with a wicked slam. He looked down at his phone and waited. The screen lit up with a call from an unknown number. Ichigo answered it. "Who is this!? I'm home now, what do you want!?"

"Go to your bathroom."

Ichigo gulped and followed the instructions.

He carefully approached his bathroom. The light was off and the door was open. He scowled and slowly reached inside, flicking on the light.

"TENSA!"

Ichigo dropped to his knees. There was red. Red everywhere. Ichigo felt tears spill over his cheeks and fall off his chin.

"What the _fuck_ did you do this for, you bastard!?" Ichigo screeched into the phone.

Shiro flinched under Ichigo's harsh tone. He hadn't expected to ever see the young human so infuriated.

The voice on the end replied, "Consider this a warning. If you don't follow my orders, both Renji and Rukia shall perish like your cat."

"Fuck you!" Ichigo panted heavily, broken sobs escaping his lips. He felt Shiro's hand on his back and he flinched at the contact. Shiro removed his hand and just stared at the orangette, unable to think of something to say. Ichigo took a few deep breaths to steady himself before he barked into the phone, "What do you want?"

"You have something that belongs to me."

"Like what? I didn't steal anything from anyone."

"You have the Hogyoku."

Ichigo gulped. "How do you know about that?"

"That information is none of your concern." The voice faded, as though the phone had been moved from the speaker's lips. Ichigo heard a scream. Rukia.

"Don't touch her!" Ichigo cried.

The phone rustled and clicked. It was placed back to the man's ear. "I won't have to if you stop asking meaningless questions and surrender the artifact. Go outside the back of your house. There is a drone there with a basket attached. There is also a piece of paper inside the basket. First, take the paper out, then, place the Hogyoku inside the basket. Tell me when you're done and await further instructions."

"Alright," Ichigo murmured. He climbed to his feet, the joints of his knees protesting. Ichigo could feel the weight of grief on his back.

He wandered to his dresser and pulled the Hogyoku out from his sock drawer. Shiro followed him with a sense of caution. He wasn't sure how Ichigo would react to anything he had to say.

Ichigo spotted the drone resting in the centre of his backyard. A basket was fastened to the bottom of the drone. It looked like something one of the neighbourhood kids crafted. Harmless. Ichigo scowled as he dropped onto his knees next to it.

"Ichi?"

Ichigo glanced at Shiro, a glare in his eyes. He spoke not, since the phone was still on.

Shiro frowned and turned his gaze away from the angered orangette.

Ichigo jerked his head back towards the basket. He took a paper out and lifted the phone back to his ear. "I'm placing it in the basket right now."

"Good," the other murmured.

Ichigo found the artifact unwilling to leave his hand. He sighed and looked over the paper now resting on the ground beside him. On it was an address. Ichigo asked, "What's the paper mean?"

"In 10 minutes, go to that address. This is where your friends are being kept. The Hogyoku should arrive long before you do. If it is in the basket, your friends will be alive when you find them. If the Hogyoku is not there, then your friends shall meet the same fate as your cat."

Ichigo grit his teeth. "Fuck you."

The man chuckled. "Pleasure doing business with you, Ichigo Kurosaki."

Ichigo heard a beep. He glanced at his phone. "Call Ended" appeared on his screen. He heard the drone begin to start up. Ichigo still hadn't let go of the Hogyoku.

"Listen to me Ichigo. You have to make a contract with me right now." Shiro murmured against Ichigo's ear. "All you have to do is say yes with that orb still in your hand. We can sort out the details later, but right now you must say yes."

Ichigo could feel his heart thudding in his ears. His eyes locked on the Hogyoku.

* * *

 **10 minutes later**

Ichigo sat inside his house. His foot tapped against the ground at a frantic pace. The clock sat opposite of him on the table, mocking him with bright green numbers. Waiting ten minutes was excruciating.

 _RING!_

Ichigo snatched his phone from the sofa. His ten-minute timer had officially gone off.

He followed the directions on Google Maps to the address he'd been given. With a grimace, he arrived at his destination: an old warehouse. He hadn't noticed in his impatient rage as he marched over but the sun was starting to go down. No matter, this only made the entrance more visible as a light flickered up above it.

Ichigo slowly entered the building. It seemed rusty but at least stable. There was no light switch in sight, nor any guarantee that the lights would work if there were any, so he took out his phone and turned on the flashlight.

"Ugh," came Renji's groan.

Ichigo rushed towards him. He noticed a glint of something metallic: chains.

"Hang on Renji. Help is coming." Ichigo glanced around. "Where is Rukia?"

Renji turned his view towards what looked like an old office door. "There."

Ichigo nodded. "I'll try to find a key or something… these chains are locked on-"

"No," Renji interjected. "You go and make sure she's alright first, _then_ worry about me."

Ichigo blinked in shock before Renji's words registered. He gave the man a smile. "O-Okay. You hang in there. I swear you're both gonna be fine."

Renji slumped back against the ground.

Ichigo sighed and moved towards the door. He slowly cracked it open, "Hello?"

"Ichigo!?"

"Rukia!" Ichigo pushed inside. "Hey, are you alright!?"

Bold studio lights blinded Ichigo as he entered. He carefully covered his eyes and shuffled around the room. Eventually he could see Rukia. She was tied to a wooden support beam.

"Thank god you're here," Rukia murmured.

"Thank god you're _safe,_ " Ichigo doubled.

"Safe now, at least…" She sighed as she was untied. "Where's Renji?"

"Still in the other room," Ichigo answered. "You haven't seen a key, have you?"

Rukia lifted her arm. Tied around her wrist was a key. "He told me once you got here that we'd have to use this to free Renji."

Ichigo nodded and carefully shielded his vision from the studio lights. "Did you… see who it was?"

"No," Rukia said. "He kept his face hidden or he kept us blinded. And I didn't recognize his voice either. He planned this whole thing out."

There was suddenly a loud shattering noise. Ichigo flinched and Rukia took off towards the sound. Renji screamed, "Wh-Who the heck are you!?"

"Shut up. Geez, yer annoyin'!"

Rukia clenched her fists, prepared for a fight.

Ichigo sighed in relief, "D-Don't scare us like that, Shiro."

Shiro snickered and dropped the remaining shards of chain to the floor. "I can't help it if yer easy ta scare, Ichi."

Ichigo pouted. Rukia's jaw dropped and she smacked Ichigo over the back of his head. Shiro flinched too, and both boys rubbed the now sore spot.

"What was that for?" Ichigo whined.

"Why can we see him now? You sold your soul, didn't you?" Rukia questioned. "What the hell have you gotten yourself into, Ichigo!?"

Ichigo lowered his head. His voice broke down and betrayed his exhaustion. "I couldn't just let Shiro fall into the wrong hands, okay? So he has my soul now, at least that means that other guy can't use the Hogyoku for himself."

Rukia frowned, "But he got away with the Hogyoku, didn't he?"

Ichigo pushed his hair out of his face, his jaw clenched and muscles tensed. "I _know_ that! But now I have Shiro with me and-"

"If that bastard returns, I'll fuckin' kill 'im." Shiro locked his arms around Ichigo's waist and Ichigo groaned in annoyance.

Renji stumbled to his feet. "So, can someone explain to me what exactly is going on here?"

* * *

"Then I sold my soul and I waited for the ten minutes I was supposed to. After that, I went to the address the guy gave me. The rest is as you know it," Ichigo finished explaining just as they approached Renji and Rukia's apartment.

Renji sighed, "That's. . . an insane story, man."

"It's true," Rukia muttered as she fished in her pocket for keys.

"I don't doubt that," Renji replied. "I'm just. . . still shocked is all. It seems so incredible and dangerous. You'd better watch yourself Ichigo."

Ichigo chuckled, "Don't worry about me! You should just take care of yourselves. _I'm_ the one with a god watching me like a hawk. I'll be fine."

Rukia snorted and marched towards Shiro. "Oh yeah, that reminds me!" She grabbed him by the ear and pulled his face down to hers. "Listen, buddy! I don't give a shit about who or what you are. If you do anything to hurt Ichigo in any way, I'll tear you a new one!"

Shiro's chin dropped. Before he could say anything, Rukia continued, "And he's still an innocent little virgin who likes to live under a rock – so go easy on him!" She let go of Shiro's ear and started marching towards the door. She twirled her keys around her finger. "See ya Ichigo~ Take care~! Are you coming, Renji!?"

Renji flinched. "Y-Yes ma'am!" He rushed towards the door after Rukia.

Ichigo watched his friends disappear into their apartment before he turned to face Shiro. Ichigo's cheeks were a deep shade of red but Shiro didn't seem to notice. Even if he had, he didn't comment on it.

"So," Ichigo murmured and started walking home, "you own my soul now. What exactly does that mean?"

The other nodded. "I told you we still have to form a proper contract. We each get five 'terms and conditions'. These can either be something the other cannot do, or something the other must do. For example," Shiro grinned, "I could demand that you have to kiss me at least once a day!"

Ichigo scowled. "D-Don't do that!"

Shiro cackled. "Don't worry, I'm not going to." Ichigo growled when Shiro pat him on the head. Shiro chuckled, "Relax. You get to go first."

Ichigo stopped in his tracks. "H-Huh? Oh… Uh, I'm not sure."

Shiro watched as Ichigo placed his thumb on his lower lip in thought. _He's too cute,_ Shiro thought.

"You have to protect my friends," Ichigo said. "I don't want them to ever get hurt like that again."

"Really?" Shiro questioned. "You're going to waste your first condition on your friends?"

Ichigo frowned, "I'm not wasting anything! They're important to me and deserve a break after everything that's happened to them."

Shiro nodded. "I see. In that case, I will protect them. However, you are my top priority always. If it means leaving them behind to secure your safety, then I shall."

Ichigo shook his head, "No! You can't do tha-"

"I'm afraid this one is unnegotiable." Shiro locked eyes with Ichigo.

It was then that Ichigo noticed a golden glow emanating from Shiro's arm. He looked down at saw that words had appeared on his skin. They were glowing at first, then they darkened to a black ink.

"What is this?" Ichigo questioned.

"Our bond." Shiro smiled. "Our contract is engraved on our very souls, mine is even carved onto my body. It is part of the spell Ra cast upon me millennia ago. This is so that I can never break a contract. I can never be free."

Ichigo touched the words on Shiro's arm. He recognized the symbols as ancient Egyptian. He then noticed that different words had appeared on his arm. "What do these say?"

"It says, 'Stay safe'." Shiro smiled and waved his hand over the glowing words. They faded. The words on Shiro's arms stopped glowing as well, but they remained tattooed to his body.

Ichigo turned his gaze to Shiro's eyes. "I don't suppose this is like Aladdin where I could just wish you free?"

"Aladdin?" Shiro searched through Ichigo's memories until knowledge of the movie appeared. "Ah. No. It doesn't work that way. As I've said before, Ra intended for me to never be freed."

"Darn," Ichigo chuckled.

Shiro brushed Ichigo's hair behind his ear. "I could imagine far worse people to be bound to for all eternity."

The orangette blushed and flinched away.

Shiro smiled. "You also possess the ability to summon me at any time from any place. All you must do is touch your forearm like this…" Shiro extended his right arm then used his left to grab his forearm. "Then open your palm and say my name. I will appear in front of you right away."

Ichigo slowly nodded. He started walking towards his house once again, Shiro right beside him.

"I know this is a lot to take in. One term each is good enough for tonight," Shiro murmured, keeping close to Ichigo. "I want you to rest and be in a relaxed state of mind before we come up with the remaining four."

Ichigo sighed into the night, his breath coming out in a small cloud in front of him. "Okay."

He got home and immediately felt his energy leave him. He went to the bathroom but turned away at the sight of Tensa. Shiro heard Ichigo's small scream and he rushed to his aide.

"Oh dear," Shiro murmured. "Ichigo, close your eyes…"

Shiro's eyes widened when Ichigo suddenly hugged him. He sobbed against Shiro's shoulder. "Wh…Why…? He was such a good kitten… still just a baby…"

Ichigo flinched when he felt something sharp on his shoulder. A weight was added. He then felt something soft and fuzzy against his neck. Ichigo turned his head to the side and locked his brown eyes on curious blue ones.

"Tensa!" Ichigo grabbed the kitten from Shiro's hold and hugged him tight. Tears gathered in Ichigo's eyes.

Shiro smiled, "I can't bring humans back to life, but… since he's just a kitten and he's been dead for less than 24 hours-"

Ichigo kissed Shiro's cheek. "Thank you! Thank you so much!"

Shiro felt his cheeks grow warm. _Am I… blushing? Certainly not…_ "You're welcome, Ichigo."

Ichigo laughed happily and hugged Tensa close. "Thank goodness you're okay, my sweet kitten. Oh, I thought you were gone forever." Ichigo carried Tensa into the kitchen and grabbed his food. Shiro sighed happily and followed them.

* * *

" **I'm going to update every-" Midnight stops, deciding that's too cruel an April Fools joke.**

" **Never mind," she sighs. "I'm updating as frequently as I can! And, as you can see, I'm still updating stories twice a month! So, if you could all be patient with me while I juggle college, fanfiction, life, work, etc., that would be great. I hope you enjoyed this chapter and please leave a review!"**

 **Midnight shuts her laptop and goes back to studying for a test she has on Monday. (Wish me luck? x.x)**


	5. Echoes of Nightmares

**1 Week Later…**

Shiro watched Ichigo's face scrunch in terror and his neck muscles tighten. Shiro brushed his fingers against Ichigo's palm and felt Ichigo's hand latch onto his.

"Ichigo," Shiro whispered against the other's bright orange locks. "Ichigo, it's okay. I'm here."

"Gah, no! Let them go!" Ichigo screamed and woke himself up. He jolted upright and panted, sweat dripping down his chin. Ichigo's dream still clung to his vision, taunting him with echoes of the nightmare that had just passed. His grip remained firm in Shiro's hand.

"Ichigo," Shiro's calm voice commanded Ichigo's attention. Brown eyes locked onto gold. "This is the third time you've woken yourself up this week."

"I'm fine," Ichigo sighed. "I'm fine. I know they're safe. It was a week ago. . . a week ago."

Shiro moved closer to Ichigo to comfort him but Ichigo slipped out of bed, shedding Shiro like an unwanted skin.

"I'm gonna shower."

"No, you're not," Shiro protested and stood up to follow him. "You don't have work for another three hours. Ichigo, it's not even 7 am yet. Please come back to bed."

"I'm gonna shower," Ichigo repeated before he locked himself in the bathroom.

Shiro sat down on the bed and rested his head in his hands. Tensa clawed at the bottom of Shiro's pants and Shiro frowned. "What am I gonna do, Tensa?" He asked and picked up the kitten. "Your owner is really stubborn."

* * *

Ichigo arrived home that evening to find dinner had been made for him. The table was set with candles and folded napkins.

The orangette chuckled, "What's this?"

Shiro scooped a pile of steaming rice into two bowls. "What does it look like? Supper."

Ichigo sighed and sat down at the table. Shiro set the bowl of rice in front of him then poured a creamy chicken soup over top.

"Enjoy!" Shiro proclaimed.

Ichigo grabbed his chopsticks. "Well, I can honestly say it smells good."

Shiro snorted, "That's fine and all, but it's supposed to _taste_ good as well."

Ichigo brought a piece of chicken to his lips. He blew on it softly before placing the chicken in his mouth. A delighted moan grew from the back of his throat.

Shiro grinned, "Well?"

"Mhm…" Ichigo nodded and took another piece of chicken. "This is good. Really good!"

"Thanks." Shiro took a seat at the other end of the table and ate his half of the meal. Ichigo turned his head out the window once he was almost done. The fading sun cast a soft, yellow glow on his skin. It brought out the deep tan the young adult had and deepened the orange in his hair.

Shiro shivered. Oh, how he'd like to make Ichigo Kurosaki _his._

"I'm gonna watch some Netflix then pass out. You can use it on the TV if you want," Ichigo murmured.

"Alright," Shiro nodded. He watched Ichigo place his dishes in the sink then grab his laptop and lock himself in his room. Shiro finished his food and put his dishes away as well. He laid down on the couch and stared at the ceiling.

"This world is so different," he murmured to himself. "Ichigo helps. Otherwise, I wouldn't have the slightest idea of what Netflix is or how Ichigo uses a laptop to view it."

"Mrow?" Tensa chirped and hopped onto the couch.

"Yes, I am talking to myself," Shiro replied.

Tensa flopped onto Shiro. "Mew…"

Shiro chuckled, "Naw. That doesn't make me crazy."

"Mrow?" Tensa rolled onto his back.

Shiro smiled. "Yeah, I'll rub your belly."

Tensa purred as Shiro pet him. Shiro turned on the TV, fumbling with different remotes until he got to Netflix. He sighed and scrolled through the different shows in Ichigo's recently watched list. Shiro picked one and watched, only paying half of his attention.

Three episodes later, Ichigo scrambled out of his room.

"Y-You can't watch that without me!"

Shiro flinched and turned towards Ichigo. "Wh-What?"

"That's Voltron!" Ichigo snapped. "And you're logged in on my account, which means you're skipping ahead of where I am!" Ichigo hopped over the couch and snatched the remote from Shiro. "You even missed the first episode. It's a one-hour special. You've gotta watch that first!"

The god froze. "Well, a-alright then…" He sat up and made more room for Ichigo on the couch.

Six episodes in and Ichigo had passed out against Shiro. Ichigo's arm was wrapped around Shiro's legs and a pillow was wedged under Ichigo's head. Shiro smiled and pet Ichigo's hair, letting the orangette sleep. An hour later, Shiro's consciousness was dwindling and his leg was going numb. He slowly turned so that Ichigo was sleeping in his lap with one of Shiro's legs on either side. Shiro placed a blanket over Ichigo and drifted to sleep. Tensa hopped on top of Ichigo and curled up happily.

* * *

Ichigo woke first in the morning. He was so warm and cozy that he didn't want to move. As it dawned on him that his pillow was breathing, he jumped up. Ichigo smiled at Shiro's unconscious face, mouth hanging open and face pressed against the couch. Ichigo sighed and laid back against Shiro.

"Mn…" Shiro grunted. "Mornin' Ichi."

Ichigo blushed. "Sorry, did I wake you?"

"Naw…" Shiro grinned and locked Ichigo in his legs.

Brown eyes widened. Ichigo yelped when Shiro sat up and pulled him onto his lap.

"Would you stop? I'm not a play-thing- A-Ah!" Ichigo gasped as teeth found their way onto his neck. Lips, teeth, and tongue trailed up his skin, stopping to lick behind an ear.

"Shiro…" Ichigo whined.

He chuckled. "Sorry Ichi."

Ichigo blushed, not daring to voice the thoughts running through his head, _I wish he hadn't stopped. I want him to kiss me…_

Shiro released Ichigo and the orangette bolted to his feet. He brushed his hair out of his face, trying to cool the blush growing across his cheeks.

"So," Shiro said, swinging his legs off the couch to make room for Ichigo, "shall we come up with our second conditions?"

"Second conditions?" Ichigo blinked. "Oh, right." He sat on the other end of the couch. "Are you sure me coming before my friends can't be negotiated?"

Shiro sighed, "Why do you care about them so much?"

Ichigo flinched, feeling a slight pain in his chest at being asked such a question. "I mean, I just _do._ They're my friends. Why shouldn't I care about them?"

"I don't understand how one person could care so much for-"

"Why should I put myself before others!?" Ichigo snapped.

Gold eyes locked onto brown, returning Ichigo's anger. "Because sometimes all you have is yourself."

Ichigo bit his bottom lip and shook his head. "Not when you have great friends who will always have your back!"

The anger on Shiro's face was released into a state of confusion. Ichigo felt his anger fade. Guilt replaced it.

"Have you… never had a friend?"

Shiro frowned. "Of _course,_ I've had friends. They all leave you alone at one point or another and-" He froze when Ichigo hugged him.

"I'll be your friend, Shiro, and I'll never leave you behind. I promise you'll never be alone again," Ichigo whispered.

Slowly, pale arms wrapped around Ichigo. Shiro felt tears sting his eyes, something he hadn't felt in hundreds of years. He buried his face in Ichigo's shoulder. Ichigo closed his eyes and rubbed Shiro's back. Warmth spread through him, the kind you felt when a loved one hugs you.

"I promise I'll always be here for you," Ichigo said, then flinched when his arm glowed. "H-Huh?"

Shiro sniffled and leaned back. "You made that promise with your entire soul. It's become your second condition. It'll remain there throughout time. Thank you, Ichigo."

Ichigo watched as the glowing words faded, and remained as ink for a few seconds on his arm. The ink faded as well but he could still feel their power. He turned back to Shiro and smiled, wiping away the other's tears. "That's what friends are for."

Shiro laughed and hugged the Ichigo again. Ichigo stumbled backwards at the force of Shiro's hug, resulting in him getting pinned under the other. Ichigo chuckled and adjusted his legs so they weren't crushed beneath Shiro. Shiro lifted himself at first, then he grinned at Ichigo and lowered himself onto the orangette.

"Unngh, Shiro!" Ichigo grunted, some of the air escaping his lungs. "You're… heavy! G-Get off!"

A blue tongue licked Ichigo's neck.

"Oi!" Ichigo snapped.

Shiro's grin stunned Ichigo silent. "I think," Shiro licked his lips, "Ichi forgot that I c'n read his mind~"

"Wh-What?" Ichigo squirmed to get free from Shiro.

More kisses were placed along Shiro's neck. "Concentrate, and yer able t'read mine too."

"I don't wanna- mnff!" Ichigo stiffened as white lips sealed over his own. His eyes slid shut as Shiro kissed him. When Shiro's tongue requested entrance, Ichigo opened his lips to let him in.

Ichigo felt Shiro's hand in his hair and for once, he didn't mind it. The sharp motion of Shiro tugging his hair earned the god a light groan. Ichigo fought back against Shiro's tongue, if only slightly, but realized it was beyond him to try and dominate the other.

When Shiro pulled back, he left the human panting. Shiro shivered at the lust present in brown eyes and fought off the urge to just fuck Ichigo right then and there.

As the heat faded from Ichigo's features, Shiro could feel Ichigo quivering beneath his touch once again, and he knew taking any further action would be one step too far.

"Thank you," Ichigo whispered.

"Hm?" Shiro arched a pale brow.

Ichigo smiled. "You're right, if I focus, I can read your thoughts. I know you don't want to frighten me or push me to do something I'm not ready for. So, thank you."

Shiro returned Ichigo's smile. "A'course _King._ I won't ever make you do something you don't wanna do." Shiro flinched as his arm lit up.

Ichigo glanced at the ancient writing. "I'm guessing that says something about not forcing me into sex?"

Shiro blushed. "Yeah. Basically."

They both jumped when Ichigo's phone went off. Shiro climbed off Ichigo and let him stand. Ichigo snatched the phone and answered it. "Hello?"

Shiro couldn't hear who was on the other end, but he could see the happiness drain from Ichigo's face.

"I see. Thanks, Tatsuki." Ichigo hung up and stumbled backwards onto the couch. Shiro leaned a little closer to him.

"What's wrong, Ichi?"

Ichigo shook his head, his hair falling into his face.

"Talk to me…" Shiro murmured and took hold of Ichigo's hand.

Teary, brown eyes locked onto Shiro's. "D-Do you remember what I told you about my ex?"

"The one who lied to you about being married?"

Ichigo nodded. "Well, T-Tatsuki just called to let me know. . . he's back in town, and he's looking for me." The room went silent. Ichigo studied Shiro's reaction. He noticed Shiro's jaw clench and his grip tighten on the bottom of his shirt. Ichigo gulped, "Shiro, there's not need to-"

"Don't worry," Shiro growled against Ichigo's ear. "I won't let him hurt you again."

"I'm fine, really," Ichigo insisted.

Shiro placed a hand on Ichigo's shoulder and frowned. "Ichi, yer not fine. Yer shakin'."

Ichigo bit his bottom lip and looked down at the floor.

Shiro turned Ichigo's chin back towards him. "It's alright, Ichi. It's okay for you to be scared. You have every right to be."

Ichigo smiled and let Shiro pull him into his arms. "Thanks."

* * *

"You look awful," Rukia commented.

Ichigo snorted. "Gee, thanks."

She placed a cup of coffee in front of Ichigo. "Drink up. It's on the house."

He shook his head. "No, I can't-"

"I insist," Rukia pushed.

Ichigo released a heavy sigh and dragged the cup close. He closed his eyes and inhaled the scent of pure, black coffee, letting it rejuvenate his spirits. "Thanks, Rukia."

She smirked, "No problem."

He brought the cup to his lips but didn't take a sip. He could feel the heat brushing against his skin without even touching the liquid. "How are you so calm?"

Rukia shrugged then fixed the strap of her apron. "It happened so quickly, I-. . . Don't you get worried over me too! I can barely stand Renji watching me like a hawk and I don't need two of you flying around my head! I'm fine, Ichigo. So, don't give me that look!"

Ichigo scowled. "What look?"

" _That_ one!"

Ichigo pouted and turned away, placing his cup on the counter. "How do you expect me to not worry? What if that guy comes back and kidnaps you and Renji again?"

Rukia shook her head. "We're being very careful. Besides, he only used us to get to you, ergo you're the one who's really in trouble." She glanced around once she realized her voice was getting too loud. When nobody seemed to have heard her, she turned back to Ichigo and whispered, "Shiro is worried about you too, yanno. He came here the other day while you were working because he wanted to know how to help you. He says you've been ignoring him."

"I haven't been-"

"Ichigo, you're a terrific friend, but you always help me and never let me help you," Rukia interrupted. "Now listen to me. Next time Shiro offers you help or comfort, I want you to take it. No excuses!"

Ichigo grumbled and took a sip of his coffee.

Rukia raised her eyebrow.

Ichigo swallowed and surrendered, "Alright, fine, but he's still a pervert."

She chuckled and returned to work.

* * *

Shiro waited until Ichigo left for work. Then he snuck out of the house. Since he didn't have a key, a simple flick of his wrist locked the front door as he left. He borrowed one of Ichigo's hoodies, the hood necessary to hide his face.

The night before, he had shifted through Ichigo's memories while he was sleeping until he found Ichigo's ex. He was a tall man with sharp blue eyes and matching blue hair. He had an arrogant aura to him and a grin that read 'I'm better than you'. Shiro growled, "Grimmjow…"

Shiro searched the city, careful not to draw attention to himself. It was about half an hour before he stumbled upon a bar. He caught a glimpse of the blue-haired man and waited patiently for him come outside. When he saw Grimmjow leaving, Shiro approached him.

"So, you're the son of a bitch who hurt Ichigo, hm?"

Grimmjow frowned. "Ichigo? What's he to you?"

Shiro grinned, eyes betraying his bloodlust. "Ichigo is someone I care about _very_ much. He's a very kind, very gentle man who didn't deserve to be broken by you."

"Tch, shut up. That was a long time ago."

Shiro grabbed Grimmjow by his collar. Teal eyes widened as he was lifted from the ground with seemingly no effort. Shiro leaned in close to his face, "Listen here, jackass. Ichigo's _still_ hurt by what you did. Don't you fuckin' _dare_ dismiss his feelings."

Grimmjow raised his arms in defence. "Oi, I get it."

"I don't think you fuckin' _do_!" Shiro snapped. He threw Grimmjow towards the back of the store, into the darkest part of the street. "Look at me!" He snarled, eyes glowing.

Grimmjow shuffled away. Shiro snapped his fingers and Grimmjow was frozen.

Shiro stalked towards him. "You're not getting away." His form flickered, horns appearing on his head and black markings showing on his skin. The words of his contract with Ichigo glowed gold on his arms, completely bound to Shiro's true form.

"G-Get away from me!" Grimmjow cried. "Why can't I move!? What did you do!?"

Shiro knelt over Grimmjow, his hand wrapping around his neck. He didn't squeeze but let the threat of him choking Grimmjow linger. "I'm not human, Grimmjow." Shiro grinned, his teeth sharp. "And if you ever come near Ichigo again, I will kill you."

Grimmjow gulped. "Fine! I'm sorry! Let me go!"

Shiro snapped his fingers and released Grimmjow. He watched the man scurry out from under him and cackled as he ran. Shiro flicked his fingers to the side, causing a bucket to slam against Grimmjow's head. The man stumbled and dropped to the ground.

Grimmjow was still. The bucket had knocked him unconscious.

"As if you were gonna get off that easy," Shiro clicked his tongue, but as he approached the man, Shiro's arms began to glow violently. Ichigo's presence pulled at his consciousness. Shiro was being summoned.

He chuckled. "You got lucky," he spat before appearing in Ichigo's house.

Shiro glanced around. When he didn't see Ichigo, he headed towards the back of Ichigo's house where his room was located. The door was shut and he could hear Ichigo sobbing on the other side. Shiro knocked and recoiled when the door was ripped open. Ichigo's eyes were puffy and bloodshot, and there were tear stains down his cheeks.

Ichigo growled, "Get _in_ here."

Shiro jumped inside and flinched when Ichigo slammed the door. Tensa was perched at the edge of the bed, watching them both with wide eyes.

"Ichigo, are you alright?"

The orangette slowly shook his head. He stepped into Shiro's arms and buried his head in the other's chest. Shiro wrapped his arms around Ichigo and held him tight.

"Rukia was right," Ichigo sniffled. "You've been trying to comfort me and. . . and I've been pushing you away, and I needed to apologize, but I just didn't know how to say it and. . ." He sighed. "She told me that I should just let you comfort me but I didn't want to listen. I've been thinking about you, and her words, all day. I-I decided you deserved an apology and an explanation. I didn't think that I deserved comfort. I thought I could just suck it up and move on. I thought that if I needed you then that made me weak and I hate it. I hate myself. Why do I do this to myself? Why do I place so much burden on my shoulders? I can't do this anymore, Shiro, I can't. . . I can't. . ."

Shiro sighed softly as Ichigo's words faded. Shiro wrapped his arms around Ichigo and held him against his chest. Ichigo sobbed into his chest for a minute or two until he could compose himself. Then he leaned out of Shiro's arms.

"Ichigo," Shiro murmured, "have you been drinking?"

Brown eyes widened in shock. He bit his bottom lip and looked down at the ground.

"Thought so. You'd better get some sleep, alright?"

Ichigo wiped his tears and sat down on the bed.

Shiro sat next to him. "I told ya already, it's alright to feel scared an' upset. You _are_ strong, Ichigo, even if you can't see it. You make the best of every situation. You fight for what you know in your heart is right. You never give up."

Ichigo laid back in bed. "Shiro, could you hold me until I fall asleep?"

Shiro smiled and laid beside Ichigo. "I'll hold you all night, after you've fallen asleep, and I'll still be here in the morning."

Ichigo sighed and the relief in his eyes was all Shiro needed to confirm that Ichigo was feeling better. Shiro wrapped his arms and a leg around Ichigo while the other curled close to him. Ichigo soon drifted to sleep, a smile on his lips.

Shiro kissed Ichigo's forehead. "I'll end all the pain you feel, Ichigo. I'll wash it all away."


	6. New Beginnings

Ichigo shivered under the golden glow of Shiro's eyes. He had expected a trick, or _something,_ once he woke up this morning, but Ichigo never could've prepared himself for the pure, unfiltered Shiro laying before him. The god was dressed in boxers, and looked positively _edible,_ sprawled out across Ichigo's bed in all his glory just for the human to take in.

And _boy_ did Ichigo take Shiro in. His eyes traveled down the other's body, from his chiselled chest down to his slightly curved waist, and even further to Shiro's-

"Ne, Ichi, like what ya see?"

"Sh-Shut up, baka."

Shiro snickered and inched closer to the dazzled orangette. Brown eyes snapped onto gold as their bodies finally made contact and Shiro's warmth spread through Ichigo like fire.

"May I have a kiss, Ichigo?"

The orangette nodded his permission. Hot lips clashed against his own, instantly drawing submission from the light. Shiro slid his tongue over Ichigo's lips, soft like petals, and only took more when Ichigo gave it. Surprised, but not stunned by Ichigo's consent, Shiro slipped his tongue into an awaiting mouth to taste his sweet orangette.

Ichigo pulled back when he needed air. He panted, baring his neck and dragging Shiro closer. He needed air but he also needed to feel more of Shiro's lips. The other wasted no time in giving Ichigo what he wanted. He kissed along Ichigo's neck, stopping when he felt Ichigo's pulse. He gave a teasing nip, and listened to Ichigo's excited gasp, before he sucked until a purple mark was left behind.

Ichigo groaned and brought Shiro's lips back to his own. He kissed back this time, his tongue twirling around the other's when it entered his mouth. He leaned back for air, panting against Shiro's chest. He felt the other's arms around him, Shiro's grip both firm and comforting. He mentally thanked Shiro for not touching him without permission. Shiro could've just as easily slid his hands anywhere he liked, but they remained still.

"Shiro," Ichigo murmured, "that was, u-umm. . . it felt really good."

Shiro felt his cheeks warm. "Thanks, Ichi. . . anytime you want that again, just let me know."

Ichigo nodded and slid out of Shiro's arms. His heart was still racing, pumping excitement through his veins, but he knew he'd reached his limit for that morning. "I will," Ichigo said before standing tall. He moved towards the mirror in his room and immediately scowled. "Damn it, Shiro! Y-You. . . you gave me a massive hickey!"

Shiro chuckled and sat up. "I think it suits ya. Says yer mine in an obvious way."

"Sure, that's great and all, but I gotta wear a friggen sweater now!" Ichigo marched out of the room. Shiro chuckled and laid back in bed. Ichigo wasn't really mad at him. No, if he was, Shiro would know for certain. Shiro heard Ichigo enter the bathroom. He hummed and walked to the kitchen to make breakfast. Ichigo stepped out of the bathroom just as breakfast was ready.

After Ichigo finished his toast and eggs, he placed the dishes on the counter. He walked towards the living room. A moment later Shiro heard him cry, "Have you seen my sweater?"

"Which one?" Shiro asked, a knowing smirk on his face.

Ichigo shifted through the coats in the closet. "The grey one! The one that I wear all the time!"

Shiro shrugged. "No idea, Ichigo, sorry." Shiro, of course, knew exactly where Ichigo's sweater was. Shiro had hidden it under Ichigo's bed. He was going to wear it while Ichigo was at work. Shiro glanced at the clock. It seemed that Ichigo was going to be late if he didn't hurry.

Ichigo sighed and grabbed his satchel. "I'll be back in a few hours."

"I know, I know," Shiro sung. Ichigo rolled his eyes and left, locking the door as he did so.

Shiro chuckled and crept to Ichigo's room, as though he'd get caught any second. It didn't matter to Shiro, caught or not, it was win-win for him. He knew Ichigo had a thing for bad boys and, well, even though stealing a sweater doesn't exactly count as doing something bad, Shiro could easily play on the fact that he was breaking one of Ichigo's rules. So if Ichigo were to return home right away, Shiro would get caught, and immediately turn it around on Ichigo.

Meanwhile, he had Ichigo's sweater, and Shiro would enjoy his prize all day until Ichigo got home.

* * *

"So, lemme guess, you lied to Shiro about working today _again_?" Rukia questioned, eyebrow raised.

Ichigo melted under her gaze, knowing that he'd been caught. "Yeah, well, I figured a couple hours would be better spent here than getting devoured by Shiro's gaze all the time."

Rukia snickered. "You mean you crash here because you can't stand a lustful gaze? C'mon Ichi, you know he undresses you with his eyes every time he glances at you, but he keeps his distance. He wouldn't do anything without your permission. You told me that."

"I know, it's just. . ." Ichigo thought about this morning and how willingly he gave in to Shiro. He might've done something he'd regret, but Shiro held back. "I don't want to rush into anything."

"You're right. Don't rush. Savour him, Ichigo. Let him treat you right and only take the next step once you feel ready. Build a strong relationship. You're gonna be bound to him for the rest of your life anyway, may as well get some pleasure out of it."

Ichigo sighed and rested his head in his hands. "Yeah, I guess you're right."

"Besides, I know a good man when I see one." Rukia suddenly scowled. "And bad ones. Here comes the worst one I know."

Ichigo followed Rukia's gaze to the café doors. He gulped when he saw Grimmjow step inside.

"Want me to get rid of him?" Rukia questioned.

Ichigo shifted nervously in his seat. Before he could answer, a green-haired woman appeared beside Grimmjow. She grabbed him by the collar and dragged him across the café. "Oi!" She called, "You Ichigo Kurosaki?"

"Y-Yeah?"

She smirked and yanked Grimmjow out in front of her.

He stumbled and landed in front of Ichigo. Grimmjow slowly bowed his head. "Ichigo," he murmured, "I want to say I'm sorry."

The woman cleared her throat and grabbed Grimmjow by the back of his neck. "And?"

"And that I was an asshole!"

She grinned. "There ya go."

Ichigo blinked in shock. No one, not even Grimmjow's _mother_ could command respect from him. Who was this woman?

"It's. . . um, not a problem, Grimmjow," Ichigo mumbled, feeling his insides turn to Jell-O.

The woman let go of Grimmjow and thrust her hand forward. "My name's Nelliel, but just Nel's fine. Can we do anything else for ya, Ichigo? Cook? Clean?"

Ichigo shook her hand, biting his lip when it occurred to him that he wouldn't have to introduce himself. "N-No, that's fine! An apology is great!"

Nel let go of Ichigo's hand and placed both hands on her hips. "Please, I insist! At least allow Grimmjow to carry some of your things home!"

Apparently Ichigo didn't have a choice in the matter as Nel took his satchel and handed it to Grimmjow.

She grinned at Ichigo. "Let me get you a coffee too, huh? How do you like it?"

Ichigo chuckled nervously and glanced at Rukia. She shrugged, "Your usual then, Ichigo?"

He slowly nodded.

"Your usual?" Nel's eyes widened softly. "You come around here often?"

"Yeah," Rukia answered as Ichigo fidgeted with the chain hanging from his pants. "He's in here just about everyday after work. I'll go getcha that coffee, Ichigo."

Nel produced the money for Ichigo's coffee, giving Ichigo a small wink. He nodded and released the chain for his wallet as Rukia headed back towards the counter. Nel smirked, "Grimmjow said you liked coming here. Wasn't sure if we'd find you though. If someone broke my heart as bad as he broke yours, I'd abandon everything that had to do with that someone."

Ichigo glanced at Grimmjow, assessing his expression. Blue eyes twitched in frustration, but it was apparent that Grimmjow wasn't allowed to talk.

Ichigo gulped and slowly shrugged. "Rukia and I are friends, so. . . I stuck around because I felt safe here. She lets me stay as late as I want."

Nel slowly nodded. "Do you still work at the library?"

Ichigo glanced at Grimmjow again. The man turned his view towards the far window, clearly not interested in their conversation. Ichigo glanced back at Nel. "Yeah, it's change a bit since then. We've expanded the building."

"Working at a library sounds amazing! I love reading."

"Well, it's more looking after books than reading them, but yes. . . I love reading too."

"Oh? Of course, you're taking care of the stock." She wandered towards him. "But, if you work in a place that deals with books, then don't you get to read all the books you can?"

Ichigo shrugged and made himself smaller so that Nel could sit next to him on the couch. He felt uncomfortable with her and Grimmjow still standing. "Not really. I'm usually exhausted by the time I get home, so I don't read much."

" _Don't_ let him fool you!" Rukia shouted as she returned with Ichigo's coffee and Nel's change. She placed the coffee on the table and Nel's change in her hand. Rukia crossed her arms. "Ichigo's lying his ass right off if he says he doesn't read. Instead of binging Netflix like a normal person, I've seen him marathon Shakespeare. My name's Rukia, by the way."

Ichigo shot Rukia a small scowl.

Nel giggled to herself. "Nice to meet you, Rukia. I take it you and Ichigo are friends?"

"His _only_ friend, since all he does is keep his nose in a book. Nice to see him getting along with someone that isn't fictional." She took the final vacant spot on the couch next to Nel. Rukia shot a glare at Grimmjow as he took a seat on a wooden chair and placed Ichigo's satchel on his lap. Rukia grumbled, "Ichigo hasn't exactly been known to socialize since a certain kitty broke his heart."

Grimmjow shot at glare at the barista that threatened murder.

Nel giggled and aimed a soft smile in Grimmjow's direction. "Kitty. That's a good one, Grimm! Maybe I'll start calling you that?"

"Please don't."

Ichigo took a sip of his new coffee as he stared across the table at Grimmjow. He swallowed then said, "Whatever happened to your partner, Grimmjow? Weren't you married?"

Grimmjow's face darkened. "We got divorced. Then I moved."

"That's why he's back here," Nel added. "I found him all beaten up a few days ago. He said he deserved it for hurting you, Ichigo."

Ichigo blinked. "Me? But. . . I haven't seen Grimmjow in years."

Grimmjow rubbed his shoulder, still bitter about the memory. "Yeah, well, whoever the guy was must've cared a lot about you. Hit my head so damn hard that I can't even remember his face."

A clock rang across the room. The cuckoo indicating that it was officially 2pm.

"Sweet!" Rukia ripped off her hat. "Don't go anywhere! I'm gonna join you after I get changed."

"Okay," Nel nodded. She glanced at Ichigo, noticing the bliss on his face. "Enjoying your coffee?"

A dust of pink coated Ichigo's cheeks. "Y-Yeah. Thanks."

"No problem."

Rukia tossed her work attire on a hanger and placed a quick kiss on Renji's cheek before she rounded the counter and joined Ichigo and the others. Ichigo raised a brow as Nel stood. He followed their lead and headed outside. Ichigo mumbled, "You and Renji seem closer."

Rukia chuckled and gave Ichigo a playful elbow to the side. "Not that it's any of your business, but, he said he loved me last night."

Ichigo's eyes widened. "R-Really!? That's great, Rukia!"

"Keep it down!" She hushed, embarrassed. "Sure, I guess."

"You guess?" Nel cut in. "A man says he loves you, you take that shot."

Rukia bit her bottom lip. "Of course. Renji's a great guy. I'm just worried about screwing up."

Ichigo shot her a supportive grin. "Don't worry about it! You guys are great together. You'll be fine!"

Nel snorted, "Like you're one to talk, Ichigo."

The orangette gulped. "What are you talking about?"

"Oh, c'mon! Grimmjow treated you like shit and you forgave him. That tells me you've moved on, and I'm willing to bet someone is _helping_ you to do that. However, you would've mentioned you're living with someone if it was serious, and you probably would have wanted to talk it over with them before letting me and Grimmjow into your life." She stopped walking to yank Ichigo's collar down. "Plus, you're trying to hide a massive hickey, which mean you're in denial about your feelings."

"W-o-w! She's good! I didn't even notice it," Rukia said, boosting her height with the tips of her toes to get a better view of Ichigo's hickey. "Was it Shiro?"

Ichigo blushed furiously and lifted his shirt back up. "Of course, it was Shiro! H-He's such a pervert, Rukia!"

Nel chuckled at the scarlet colour creeping across Ichigo's cheeks. "But you _like_ it, Ichigo. The sooner you admit that, the happier you'll be."

Ichigo scowled and folded his arms. "No way! He's just a flirt!"

* * *

Ichigo slowly opened the door to his house, expecting to be attacked by Shiro at any moment. To his surprise, Shiro was lazily sprawled across the couch with one brow raised.

"Yer home early," he stated. "Don't you usually get home around 7:oo?"

Ichigo frowned at him. "I wasn't going to work today. I went to the café. Also," Ichigo marched over and grabbed Shiro by the sleeve. "Stop. Stealing. My. Sweater!"

Shiro chuckled, forgetting that he was wearing the grey sweater Ichigo had been looking for this morning. "But Ichi, it smells like you, and it smells _so_ good."

Ichigo scowled as his cheeks turned scarlet. Shiro knew he was in trouble but he also knew that he had just won this argument.

Trying his luck, Shiro slowly leaned in and pinned Ichigo against the wall. He heard Ichigo gasp and Shiro grinned. Ichigo closed his eyes as he felt Shiro's lips on his own. Shiro's tongue played with Ichigo's lip, requesting access to taste Ichigo. The orangette groaned as he let Shiro in his mouth.

Shiro leaned back, letting Ichigo catch his breath.

"Yer so beautiful when you're all embarrassed, Ichi."

Ichigo pouted and looked at the ground. "A-Am not."

Nel leaned against the wall near the front entrance. She cocked her eyebrow and said with a grin, "So, are you two fucking, or what?"

Ichigo's eyes widened and his whole face turned red. He buried his face in Shiro's chest, refusing to meet the woman's gaze.

Shiro looked over his shoulder and narrowed his eyes. "And who're ya?"

Rukia stepped out from behind Nel. "Relax, Shiro. She's a friend. And she's also the one who is housebreaking kitty."

"Would ya stop callin' me that!?"

Shiro's suspicious glance turned to a glare as soon as he heard that voice. "What's he doing here?"

Ichigo stepped back so he could look Shiro in the eye. "Don't worry, Shiro. He's fine. We've, sorta, patched things up." Ichigo glanced at Nel. He huffed and awkwardly grabbed Shiro's collar, dragging him lower. "N-Now! Don't lie to me. I know you're the one who banged Grimmjow up, so I want you to apologize to him!"

Shiro's eyes widened. "Ya want me to what?"

"You heard me! We're all gonna be friends now. So, go apologize!"

As soon as Shiro was released, he began to fidget nervously. This was the very _last_ thing he had expected for this afternoon, and he suspected that it was payback for the stunt he pulled this morning. Shiro huffed and muttered, "Sorry fer kickin' yer ass."

Ichigo grabbed a pillow from the couch and threw it at the back of Shiro's head.

He groaned and muttered, "Sorry, Grimmjow, for overreacting. Ichigo can obviously handle himself and I'm glad you two have agreed to move on."

Nel glanced at Grimmjow. He murmured, "Apology accepted. . ."

Ichigo smiled and picked the pillow off the floor. "There! Isn't this much better?" He placed the pillow on the couch and sat down. Shiro lifted him into his arms, much to Ichigo's protest, and sat down with Ichigo on his lap. Rukia chuckled and sat in the chair. Grimmjow sat at the opposite end of the couch to Shiro, while Nel sat in the middle.

The green-haired woman shot a suspicious glance at Shiro and Ichigo. "So, not in a relationship, but sharing the same home and the same seat?"

Ichigo huffed, "It's complicated." He turned on Netflix. They watched some movies together, Nel eventually ordering pizza. Around 10:00, Rukia decided to head home and called Renji to pick her up, and at 11, Nel and Shiro had both passed out.

Ichigo grabbed the remote and paused the movie.

Grimmjow glanced at him. "So, are we really good? I know I treated you like less than shit."

"Y-Yeah, well, I think so. . ." Ichigo gave him a small smile.

Grimmjow smirked and blushed as he felt Nel's grip on his hand. He glanced at her as she slept.

Ichigo chuckled. "You seem really happy with her. And might I say, like much less of an asshole."

"Ha ha. . ." Grimmjow glanced at Ichigo and Shiro. "You seem much more confident with him. He's blunt or otherwise straight forward, but, he respects you. Tell me, how do you feel about him?"

Ichigo blushed and opened his mouth to reply when Grimmjow interrupted him.

"Well, you better let him know."

Ichigo slowly nodded. "I know. I'm just. . . nervous."

"About what? You _are_ a great guy, Ichigo. Just do what's going to make you happy." Grimmjow glanced at his watch then gently nudged Nel. "Time to go, Nel."

She blinked awake. "Grimm? Oh, did I pass out?"

"Only for an hour. C'mon, I'll walk you home."

She snickered, "Alright, tough guy." Nel stood and stretched her limbs. Ichigo carefully slid off of Shiro and walked Nel and Grimmjow to the door. He waved them goodbye and the two of them left.

Ichigo was left alone with Shiro. He tiptoed back to the couch and kissed his cheek. "Everyone's gone, Shiro. Let's go to bed."

Shiro mumbled and rolled towards his side.

Ichigo rolled his eyes and shook Shiro gently. "Bed, Shiro."

A white brow was raised. "What's this? Ichi asking me to go to bed with him? I must still be dreaming."

"Yeah, yeah. . . Maybe I'll let you spoon me too, if you hurry up, _and_ if you're lucky."

Shiro sprung to his feet and bolted towards the door. He stopped at the entrance and bowed, gesturing the to the bedroom. "Yer highness."

Ichigo scoffed and marched past Shiro into the dark room. He yawned and plopped onto the bed face-first, burying his head into the pillow. He felt Shiro's weight beside him, a tender hand brushing the hair on the back of Ichigo's head.

Ichigo hummed and turned to head to the side to look at Shiro.

"Even in the dark, Ichi, yer the most handsome man I've ever seen."

"Shut up."

"I ain't lying."

"I know you're not." Ichigo smiled and turned the other way, inching back towards Shiro.

He raised a pale brow. "Whatcha doin'?"

"Well, you were fast getting into bed, a-and. . ."

Shiro immediately understood and curled up around Ichigo, sliding a hand over his waist. "Mmm. . . guess that makes me the luckiest guy in the whole world, huh?"

Ichigo blushed and squirmed to adjust his body in the hold. He hadn't really been spooned _properly_ in a long while. Shiro smirked and let Ichigo adjust before curling closer to him again.

"Ya got work tomorrow?"

"Nah. . . let me sleep in."

Shiro nuzzled the back of Ichigo's neck. "Sure thing, King."

Ichigo blushed but ignore the nickname, letting sleep consume him.

* * *

 **Enjoying this fanfic? I'm glad! Please leave a review to let me know what you think!**

 **Also, if you wouldn't mind taking a short moment to support me on tum-blr and patr-eon, that'd be great! You can find me on tum-blr as adventurebeneaththewords, and on patr-eon as pRose! I always make my fanfiction available for free (duh), but it would really help me out if you can support me. You can also find some of my stories on Inkitt (I'm NatashaSRose).**

 **Please support me however you can! Thank you for your time!**


	7. Enter Ra

**Just a quick update, I've changed my name on Ink-itt to Midnight pRose. (Yes, spelled with a lower case 'p', and remove the – in Ink-itt.)**

 **I'll hopefully be updating stories there once or twice a month!**

 **Happy reading!**

* * *

The 21-year-old librarian murmured incoherent sentences as he snuggled the warmth surrounding him. Shiro chuckled at Ichigo's cute morning rituals. He'd never tell the orangette, although Shiro would love to tease him about it, that Ichigo always mumbled words from his dream for about half an hour before waking up. Shiro thought it was the cutest thing in the world and he had to bite his tongue to prevent himself from squealing. (Not that it was difficult for Shiro to do so, his ego weighed down his tongue all on its own, no teeth required.)

The chilly October morning pushed hard against the window. Fortunately, Shiro remembered that during fall one must remember to keep the windows shut, otherwise he might've opened it this morning.

"Mm. . . Shiro. . ." Ichigo murmured, grasping a handful of Shiro's shirt and yanking him closer. Shiro stumbled and crashed against Ichigo. He heard a curse and leaned back only to find brown eyes glaring at him. "What was that for?"

Shiro gestured to Ichigo's hand still gripping his shirt. "You were the one who pulled me closer! I wasn't gonna wake ya for at least another thirty minutes."

Ichigo's expression softened and he lowered his head back onto his pillow. "Okay, yeah, maybe another few minutes is what I need." Brown eyes fluttered shut.

Shiro sighed and hugged Ichigo closer again, feeling the orangette wiggle closer.

"Ichigo, I know ya wanna sleep some more, but. . ."

Brown eyes opened. "You want to talk, right?"

Shiro blinked at the correct guess and slowly nodded. He lowered himself onto the pillow next to Ichigo and locked his gaze on the other's. "I thought you didn't like me. You know, in _that_ way."

Ichigo wanted desperately to look away, but his eyes remained still. "I didn't think I did either. Nor did I think you did, but you don't just tease me anymore, sometimes I feel like you really mean it."

Shiro shrugged, "I believe I started out just trying to woo ya. However, now, I just enjoy your reactions, I enjoy you. You throw yourself headfirst into any situation for a friend, you giggle when you think no one is looking, you care more than you lead on but ya still show how much you care a heck of a lot more than anyone else. You have such a big heart, Ichigo, and I just want to be someone ya share it with."

Ichigo took Shiro's hand and squeezed it. "I believe we're at the point of something us humans like to call 'dating'."

Ichigo noticed Shiro blush and he smiled. Shiro inched closer to Ichigo and murmured, "Dating, huh? Like test-driving a relationship. Never done it before but I'd be willing to try it with ya."

"I think you'll do great." Ichigo slowly sat up. "Besides, I personally believe that no two relationships are the same, and therefore dating is gonna differ between couples. That means neither one of us has more experience over the other in this matter."

Shiro grinned and just stared at Ichigo. When the other didn't respond, Ichigo turned to see Shiro's expression and he immediately felt sheepish.

"Wh-What is it?"

"Did you just call us a 'couple'?"

"Yeah, well, w-we've decided we're dating now, so why not?"

Shiro yanked Ichigo back down and tackled him against the bed. "I'm so excited, King! I'll give ya the best time of yer life, I swear it!"

Ichigo blushed and melted under Shiro, wrapping his arms around him and enjoying the closeness.

"Mrow?" Came Tensa's cry.

Ichigo chuckled. "It's time for me to feed him."

Shiro nodded and untangled himself from Ichigo. Ichigo slid out of bed, chancing a glance back at Shiro only to catch a glimpse of the god's devilish smirk. Ichigo blushed and immediately averted his eyes, much to Shiro's amusement.

Ichigo marched into the kitchen and fetched Tensa's food. As timing would have it, Ichigo's phone began to buzz on the counter.

Feeling a moment of panic once Ichigo realized someone was calling him, he just about dropped Tensa's food bag. Ichigo placed the bag down and snatched his phone off the counter.

"Hello?" he questioned.

"Ichigo? It's me. Sosuke."

"Sosuke?" Ichigo blinked. What was Aizen doing calling him on his day off? "Is something the matter?"

"Oh no, nothing quite like that. I just need you to come down to the library today. Only for about an hour. Can you do that?"

"Sure." Ichigo glanced at the clock. "I'll be there at 9:30."

"Thanks, Ichigo."

* * *

Ichigo rubbed the sleep from his eyes as he wobbled out of Rukia's café. He had grabbed a coffee to-go, as well as Aizen's favourite tea.

He glanced down at his watch.

"Shit!" Ichigo spat. "I'm gonna be late!"

He did an awkward sprint to the library, trying his dearest not to spill either of the drinks. Once there, he gently knocked on the door with his foot.

Aizen approached the door and cautiously pushed it open. "Oh, Ichigo, come in." He glanced on either side of Ichigo, as if expecting additional company, before he moved out of Ichigo's way to let him in.

Ichigo gave Aizen his best smile, trying not to look nervous. "So, what's up? You in trouble with the boss or something?"

Aizen slowly shook his head. "No, no. Nothing like that. You're here with me as a friend right now, Ichigo, not as my employee."

Ichigo placed the drinks down on a table. He glanced around, noticing that the library was empty and the lights had been dimmed. He checked the door just to be sure and found the 'Open' sign had been turned around. Aizen had shut the library down early today.

Concern immediately crossed Ichigo's features. "What's wrong?"

Aizen smiled. "You are kind, Ichigo, so very kind, for being willing to help me even if it's something you won't be getting paid for."

Ichigo chuckled, his cheeks heating up at the compliment. "I mean, sure, we're friends, aren't we? I've known you for more than a year. You've let me wiggle out of work on tough days and put up with me being late a couple times. So, what can I do to help?"

"Do you feel like you owe me?" Aizen questioned. Ichigo was put-off by Aizen's surprise. "You do."

Ichigo blinked. "Well, sure. I mean. . ."

"No, no," Aizen chuckled and took a seat at the table. He grasped his tea and took a sip before continuing, "I've asked you to do many things, but you feel like you owe me? Curious. I've never met someone quite like you before. You give your work everything you have. You keep this place tidy and you care for all the books here. Yet you think you still owe me something? Curious."

Ichigo's eyes shifted around the room. He felt Aizen's gaze burning into him, as though he was being interrogated. The room suddenly seemed to grow darker. A cloud passed by and dimmed the whole area.

Aizen smirked and leaned back in his seat. He turned his eyes to behind Ichigo and said, "What do you think, Anubis?"

Ichigo felt his heart skip a beat. He followed Aizen's gaze and it landed on Gin, Ichigo's new coworker. Ichigo nearly spilled his coffee from the surprise.

Gin slowly nodded, shutting the front door that Ichigo hadn't heard him open. "Do you wish for him to be tested against Ma'at?"

Aizen nodded and Ichigo gulped. "Wait, Sosuke, y-you called him Anubis? What's going on here?"

"Don't fret," Aizen murmured. "This will only take a second."

Gin placed his left hand on top of his right hand. Then, as he slowly separated them, a scale appeared. Gin held the scale in the air and drew a blue feather from his breast pocket. He placed it on the right side of the scale and held the other towards Ichigo. Ichigo watched the feather slowly sink. Gin smiled at Ichigo. "You have passed the test, young Kurosaki."

"A-And what does that mean?"

Aizen placed a hand on Ichigo's shoulder, prompting Ichigo to flinch. Aizen chuckled, "Your soul is greater than Ma-at, or the _truth._ You are honest, Ichigo, and a pure soul."

"Is this why you asked me to come here?"

Aizen glanced away from Ichigo. "Yes. . . and no. You've read the book. And I felt the Hogyoku awaken. You must tell me where the orb is."

Ichigo shrugged. "I dunno. It was stolen from me."

Aizen's eyes flicked towards Gin and the other god nodded. Aizen sighed, "Well, if that's true, then perhaps you can also answer me this: why do I sense the God of Shadow on you?"

"That's because Ichigo belongs to me."

Ichigo's heart nearly jumped out of his chest when Shiro appeared and scooped Ichigo into his arms. Ichigo, despite the near heart attack, welcomed Shiro's hold and curled against Shiro. He breathed in Shiro's familiar scent, letting the other's presence ease his anxiety.

Shiro turned a grin on Ichigo. "Why didn' ya summon me earlier?"

"Didn't want to bother you," Ichigo mumbled.

Shiro chuckled and hugged Ichigo closer. He narrowed his eyes on Aizen. "Ra. . ." Then Gin. "Anubis."

". . . . ." Aizen opened his mouth but Ichigo heard nothing.

The orangette glanced up at Shiro, who frowned. "Sorry Ichi, ya can't hear my real name unless I say it."

"That is correct, _He aldai yahmi._ " Aizen nodded at Ichigo.

"He who protects," Shiro clarified.

"And he will _never_ know your true name," Aizen spat. "For I've decided to return you to the Underworld once a for all, Shiro!"

Ichigo felt Shiro's grip tighten. He scowled and pushed out of his hold. Ichigo stood tall on his own two feet while Shiro held him from behind. Ichigo locked his eyes on Aizen. "No."

Aizen raised his brow. "No?" He chuckled. "I'm not one for hurting humans, _He aldai yahmi,_ but do not test my patience. Shiro is a danger amongst humans, and I'm quite sick of his games at this point. Besides, it's only a matter of time before his master-"

"Apophis is _not_ my master! I rejected him!"

Ichigo rubbed Shiro's arms, trying to sooth his rage.

Shiro sighed and nuzzled Ichigo's neck as thanks. "He is not my master. I don't accept him as such and I never will. He may have created me, but that doesn't mean anything."

"And yet," Aizen chuckled, "you've defiled my temples and caused chaos amongst my worshipers, just as Apophis intended."

Shiro shrugged. "So, I wanted to have a little fun. It's not like I killed anybody. _You're_ the one who locked me in a temple and put a curse on it that would kill anyone who enters."

Aizen folded his arms. "It's not as though I intended to let anyone find you. Apophis and I were locked in battle that century. Just long enough for someone to slip into your chambers and steal you. Well, now that I've finally found you, it's time to go."

"No!" Ichigo spat, once again drawing Aizen's attention back to him. Ichigo fought to keep tears from appearing in his eyes. "You can't! You can't take Shiro away! He hasn't done anything wrong!"

Aizen shook his head. "This doesn't concern you, human. Your feelings are irrelevant. Shiro is a danger to this world and must be sent away. I cannot allow him to disrupt the balance any longer."

Gin slowly turned to Aizen. "Ichigo _did_ pass the test. He wouldn't allow Shiro to harm any innocents."

Ichigo hiccupped softly. Aizen turned towards him and placed a finger on his forehead. Ichigo cried out, the pain of Aizen borrowing into his mind enough to make him lose strength in his legs. Shiro caught him, moving to attack Aizen when Gin shook his head.

"You must let Ichigo do this," Gin advised.

Shiro scowled and hugged Ichigo tighter. "It's alrigh', Ichi. Yer gonna win."

A blue light surrounded Ichigo and Aizen was shoved back. He glared at the two, Ichigo and Shiro, from across the room.

Ichigo stared across the room, the blue light had vanished from all but his eyes. Even there it was like a distant fog. He panted, "Are you satisfied?"

Shiro steadied Ichigo, and the orangette flashed Shiro a smile as thanks.

"Your mind is in the right place, and your thoughts are honourable. You won't use him for selfish purposes, nor personal gain." Aizen groaned and pinched the bridge of his nose. "Alright, fine, Shiro may stay with you."

"Yes!" Ichigo suddenly hugged Aizen. "Thank you!"

Aizen tensed. "Ah, right. . . you're welcome."

Gin chuckled at him. Aizen sent him a frown as Ichigo released him. Ichigo ran back to Shiro and into his arms, melting into his embrace.

Aizen cleared his throat. "I have some conditions."

He snapped his fingers and the contract markings on Shiro began to glow. "I see you already have two conditions for a contract. I'll provide the final three." As Aizen spoke, the words appeared on Shiro's skin. "Number 3: Shiro's power will be limited to half, and that half will be given to Ichigo to use any time he pleases. Number 4: Shiro cannot take a life without Ichigo's permission at any time. And number 5: Shiro's thoughts and intentions are available to Ichigo all the time in case Shiro plots against Ichigo, and so that Ichigo can stop the threat before it happens. Are we clear?"

Shiro grumbled while Ichigo nodded.

Ichigo's skin began to glow as words appeared. "Furthermore," Aizen continued, "Ichigo's third condition will be that he must use his 50% of the powers to aide Shiro in protecting the innocent, as well as to stop Shiro should he ever get out of control."

Ichigo nodded. "You have my word."

Aizen smirked, his grin only widening when he saw the pout on Shiro's lips. "I'm satisfied. Ichigo, you can go. Oh, and, don't be late for your next shift."

"Yes sir." Ichigo smiled and took Shiro's hand, dragging him out of the library.

"Ichigo!" Aizen called.

The orangette stopped and spun around.

Aizen smiled. "You forgot your coffee."

Ichigo blinked and ran back. "Oh, yes, thank you!" He picked up the cup and rushed off.

Gin turned to Aizen once they had been left alone. He noticed how he was staring at the cup of tea still sitting, half full, on the table. Gin approached him. "So, he passed your test, what next?"

Aizen lifted the cup to his lips. "We must retrieve the Hogyoku. Keep looking for it."

"And?" Gin pried.

"Well," Aizen sighed, "if Ichigo really is _the one,_ then we must keep an eye on him for much longer. Send word to Grimmjow and Neliel that I'll need them to keep an eye on Ichigo and Shiro, but also not to let their guards down with this town."

* * *

"I take it. . . you don't exactly agree with all his rules," Ichigo murmured, placing a hand on Shiro's. They were back in Ichigo's home, Tensa curled up on the chair while Ichigo and Shiro sat on the sofa.

Shiro sighed and took Ichigo's hand, squeezing it. "Not exactly, but if it means I get to stay with ya. . . then it's worth it."

Ichigo blushed and a pout appeared on his lips. "B-Baka."

Shiro suddenly frowned, locking his eyes on Ichigo's lips. "Hey Ichi, ya got something on yer mouth."

Ichigo quickly wiped his lips. "Is it gone? What was it?"

Shiro grinned. "Nah. It's me."

Ichigo blinked as Shiro captured his lips. Ichigo rolled his eyes then let them close. He slid his hands around Shiro's waist, pulling him closer.

Shiro leaned back with a smirk. "Mm. . . ya got somethin' on yer neck, too."

The orangette snorted. "Oh yeah?" He tilted his head to the side. "Can ya get it?"

Shiro gave a gentle kiss to Ichigo's neck, inhaling his intoxicating scent. "I got it."

Ichigo chuckled and brushed Shiro's hair back over his shoulder. He placed a soft kiss on his cheek before he leaned away. "Well, I think I'm ready for some food. You hungry?"

"I could eat ya any day."

Ichigo blushed as flashes of Shiro's thoughts appeared in his mind. He knew the god was doing this on purpose, sending images of them wrestling on the bed, fighting for dominance. . . Shiro ultimately winning, pinning Ichigo to the bed and grinding against him.

He scowled and spun around. "Sh-Shut it," Ichigo huffed and wandered into the kitchen with Shiro following closely behind. "So, Shiro, as I was saying earlier, I'm sure you're not happy about the new rules you have, and so I though it'd only be fair if we made some rules for me that were similar to yours."

Shiro quirked his right brow. "Oh really? Ya want me to be able to read yer mind too?"

Ichigo shrugged. "I promised before we even made a contract that I'd always be honest with you, so yeah, I don't mind if you want to make that a condition."

"Hmm," Shiro hummed. "Tempting, Ichigo, tempting, but nah. I can't do that to ya. How about only the surface layers, like dreams and such. And I'll know if yer fantasizing about me." Shiro winked, making Ichigo blush. "But I won't invade yer emotions or extremely private memories. I still need yer knowledge of how to operate a TV. . . Otherwise, the rest is Ichigo-only." Shiro held his hand over his heart and the other beside him, mimicking a scout pledge.

Ichigo laughed softly. "Alright. Deal."

The words flashed on Ichigo's skin.

"Well, that's number four," Ichigo murmured. "Number five?"

Shiro smirked and stepped up behind Ichigo, watching what he was doing over his shoulder while his arms locked around Ichigo's hips. Ichigo shivered when he felt Shiro's lips on his ear. Shiro whispered, "I'll think of the perfect one soon enough."


	8. Memorable

"So, Rukia invited us over tonight," Ichigo mumbled to Shiro who sat on the sofa in the living room. Ichigo grabbed a plastic container from the sink and started scrubbing it. "Shi? Ya listening?"

A grin split Shiro's lips. "Mhm, Ichi." His mind began to wander to him and Ichigo. First it was them kissing, but it soon escalated.

"Damn it, Shiro!" Ichigo snapped, throwing the plastic container at the god. "I'm trying to talk to you here!"

Shiro's snickers echoed through the house. "What? I'm not doing anything!"

"Bull shit!" Ichigo protested. He dropped to his knees and moaned, clutching his stomach as muscles there tightened. Ichigo panted and felt heat flood south. "Sh-Shiro, ah… Enough already."

Shiro turned his attention to the TV, leaving Ichigo to catch his breath. The human wobbled to his feet as finally, _finally,_ the mental images stopped. Shiro had been teasing him all morning. The god called it revenge for Ichigo avoiding him. The topic had come up last time they both went to Rukia's Café. She told Shiro about all the times Ichigo lied about going to work and came to visit her instead.

"Need help, Ichi?" Shiro teased, peeking over the back of the couch to see Ichigo still kneeling on the floor.

"Shut up!" Ichigo shouted, but he wasn't actually mad. He rolled his eyes and chuckled as he stood up. "That last, umm... vision was strong, okay? Jeez."

"I can tell. Yer boner is givin' it away."

"Shut up!" Ichigo smacked his boyfriend with the cloth in his hand. Shiro cackled then snatched the arm that had hit him.

Ichigo yelped as Shiro yanked him over the couch. He ended up laying on Shiro, his erection not so subtle now that it pressed against Shiro's leg. The God of Shadows grinned. "I can help ya wit' tha'."

The orangette smashed his face into Shiro's neck, hiding his blush. He muttered against pale skin, "You fuckin' caused it, so you had better help."

Golden eyes were alight with glee. "My, my, yer demanding when yer horny, huh?"

"Way to kill the mood, asshole."

Shiro snickered and sat up, positioning Ichigo on his lap. "Sorry, Ichi, but since _someone_ won't tell me what he's into, I don't know how to act."

Ichigo gripped Shiro's shoulders. "Be yourself. That's good."

Shiro blinked and wrapped his hands around Ichigo's hips. "Alright… I can do that." He leaned in and kissed Ichigo, a short tease. "May I help you with yer problem, Ichi?"

Ichigo bit his lip. His gaze turned away from Shiro.

"It's not a problem if you say no."

"That's not it," Ichigo mumbled. "I… don't know what to do."

Shiro's hands moved up Ichigo's sides, sliding fabric. The touch meant to calm. "You don't have to do anything, Ichi. Relax and let me please you, that's all. I won't even undress. This will be about you. How's that sound?"

Ichigo pouted. "That… That's not fair to you."

"Yer happy, and gonna be moanin' my name. What more could I ask for?"

Ichigo tucked his face in Shiro's neck again. He shivered as Shiro's hands moved down his sides, bringing heat and arousal with them. "O-Okay." His voice became shaky with need. "But just you, okay? I want to feel you, and not those stupid mental projections."

"Then focus on the feeling. Yer paranoia is what lets my thoughts enter your mind so easily. Ignore doubt and fear, and focus on what your body is telling ya."

Ichigo nodded and took in a deep breath. He leaned back and let the air out of his lungs as he fell against the couch. Shiro's hands moved down to his hips and found his belt. Ichigo squirmed as he felt his jeans come undone. He lifted his hips as Shiro tugged down his jeans. Shiro's fingers hooked the elastic of Ichigo's boxers and the orangette bit his bottom lip.

As Shiro removed his boxers, Ichigo became all too aware of his nakedness. He opened his eyes and his knuckles turned white as he gripped the couch.

"Relax, Ichi, yer beautiful," Shiro whispered for Ichigo's ears only.

The orangette blushed. He looked around the room. "Sh-Shiro, I… I don't know about doing this on the couch. I-It feels so cramped and… and what if I make a mess?"

Instead of laughter, which Ichigo expected, Shiro placed a kiss on Ichigo's inner thigh. "A location change isn't a problem, Ichi. Would the bed be better?"

Ichigo nodded. Shiro untangled himself from between Ichigo's legs then scooped Ichigo into his arms. Ichigo welcomed the action since his legs were too much like Jell-O for him to use at the moment.

The cool sheets of his bed were much more welcomed against his bare skin. Shiro shut the door before returning to Ichigo. The world faded from Ichigo's awareness as gold eyes locked on him.

"So, my darling," Shiro purred. His hands moved up and down the skin between Ichigo's legs and hips. "You deserve the most mind-blowing orgasm. As such, I'm going to take a few seconds of yer time to learn how to take you there."

Ichigo raised an orange brow. "And how are you going to do that?"

Shiro leaned in a little closer. "It might sound… silly, but I want you to rate the little things I do one a scale of 1 to 10. One being do not bother doing that again, and ten being you're going to cum right now. How's that sound?"

Ichigo gave a small gasp before he answered, "S-Sure."

Shiro grinned. "Already off to a good start. Does cuddling after a sexual activity sound good to you?"

"You get a 4 for your grin," Ichigo replied. "And cuddling sounds nice, anytime, but I wouldn't say it's arousing."

Shiro nodded and leaned back from Ichigo, hands ghosting over tan skin as he moved away. "A 4 for my grin, ah? I'll remember that. Now what about pet names? Or roles? Do ya like it if I call ya 'master'?"

Ichigo shrugged. "1?"

"1? Bummer." Shiro dragged nails around Ichigo's hips, hands sliding under the orangette to grasp a plump rear.

Ichigo flinched, moving to welcome more of those touches. "Y-You get a 6 for that t-touch."

Shiro grinned. "Geez, yer so picky, yer highness."

Pleasure tingled Ichigo's skin. "What i-if you call me something else? I mean… couple names are cute, but 'master' sounds so demeaning. I mean, to you, and it means nothing to me. It feels empty."

"Ah." Shiro squeezed Ichigo's ass again before abandoning it to play with something else. "What if it means something, then? Personalized for you and me."

Ichigo blinked and shrugged again. "Like what?"

"What about…" Shiro hummed in thought. "'King'? Yer like royalty to me, yer highness. You deserve all the best things in the world."

Ichigo's cheeks turned a shade darker. "5."

Shiro grinned. "Yes!" His hands slid under Ichigo's shirt. He unbuttoned it to reveal Ichigo's toned chest. He placed a kiss on the middle of Ichigo's abs. Then he moved his lips up to Ichigo's chest, stopping to drag teeth.

"A-Ah… 7," Ichigo panted.

Shiro kissed up Ichigo's neck, stopping when he found Ichigo's pulse and sucking on the spot.

"5… 6, maybe," Ichigo murmured.

A grin graced Shiro's lips again. He moved his lips to Ichigo's ear. "Ya like pain, Ichi?"

"I mean… depends. Heartbreak, no thank you, and I wouldn't appreciate being punched either."

Shiro shook his head. "That's abuse, King. I'm talking about the kind of… pleasurable pain. Rough sex or love bites, even BDSM. Punching or getting hit with a cane, under moderation, can also be pleasurable to some people. It just involves trust in your partner and doing things safely."

Ichigo placed his hands against Shiro's chest. "I do trust you, but getting hit with something is like a 1 to me. Umm, love bites sound like a 6? And that thing you were doing with your teeth and fingernails earlier was okay."

"Gentle biting and nails, gotcha."

"And your teasing is a 4," Ichigo muttered, somewhat impatiently.

Shiro chuckled. "Well, I think I'm finally beginning to understand ya." Shiro placed a kiss behind Ichigo's ear. "You dislike when someone tries to control you, and you don't like controlling others either. A mutual relationship works best, but you refuse to let others take advantage of you. Then, there's a small part of you that enjoys losing control of yourself, letting your instincts take over. You would pick fight over flight. You enjoy the adrenaline. You need it."

Ichigo panted against Shiro, the words making him come slightly undone. "Y-Yeah, that's exactly it… but I've never found the right words to describe it, so, how did you even know?"

"Because I'm exactly the same." Shiro slide his hand over Ichigo's neglected erection, squeezing the base and working his hand up to the tip.

"Gh…" Ichigo gasped. "8."

"I think that's the highest, yet," Shiro smirked, catching Ichigo's lips. He swallowed the moans that managed to escape Ichigo. The young man was very reserved, Shiro noted, he had to find some way to get Ichigo to lose his control.

And then the obvious struck him.

"I bet you're about to scream," Shiro promised, trailing kissed down Ichigo's body until his lips met Ichigo's V-line. He placed a kiss there, then moved down to Ichigo's leg. Shiro grinned up his boyfriend.

"D-Dear gods, Sh-Shiro…" Ichigo gasped in realization.

Shiro licked Ichigo's tip.

"Fuck…" Ichigo's hips jerked.

A hot tongue met sensitive skin. Shiro wrapped his lips around Ichigo, tongue and lips massaging him gently. Ichigo arched his back.

"A-Ah! 10!"

Shiro chuckled, sending shivers up Ichigo's spine. Shiro dragged his nails across Ichigo's hips. He could almost see the tingles that spread across Ichigo's skin. He grabbed Ichigo's hip with one hand, the other cupping Ichigo's balls and rolling them in a gentle massage.

Ichigo's head rolled back as he moaned.

Shiro took Ichigo in a little deeper, savouring the look of total loss of control on Ichigo's face.

"Sh-Shi… I can't hold o-on…"

Shiro leaned back. With a dark grin, he locked his eyes onto heated brown. "Cum for me, King."

Ichigo's eyes rolled back. Shiro stroked Ichigo through his release. He let Ichigo relax on the bed as he cleaned up the mess.

"Mm, ya sure came a lot, huh?" Shiro said as he slid in next to Ichigo.

"W-Well, ah…" Ichigo gaped for a moment, grasping at words as pleasure still clouded his mind. "It felt good, so…"

Shiro grinned and brushed Ichigo's hair to the side. "Relax. I'm glad you enjoyed it."

* * *

Rukia clasped a hand over her mouth.

"R-Rukia, don't…" Ichigo whined.

She removed her hand, revealing a large grin, as she slapped Ichigo on the shoulder. "Way to go!"

Ichigo shrunk on the couch, glad they were in Rukia's apartment and not in her café. "W-Will you stop? It wasn't that big a deal." Oh, but it was. Ichigo was still feeling echoes of his orgasm. Better yet, he felt closer to Shiro than ever, but that came with the awkward downside of craving the other's touch.

Rukia leaned back in her seat. She grabbed the soda can beside her a took a large sip before replying, "You'd better stop lying to yourself."

Ichigo heard the door open. It was Renji coming in with Nel and Grimmjow. Ichigo avoided looking at the three of them for as long as he could.

That is, until Nel placed a hand on her hip and asked, "Who asked you out to prom?"

Rukia snorted and Ichigo snapped his eyes onto her in shock. How the hell did she always know something happened by just looking!?

"Ichigo and Shiro got a little intimate, finally," Rukia answered.

Nel chuckled. "Well, that much was obvious." She sat down on the couch while Grimmjow and Renji moved to the kitchen. Nel folded one leg over the other. "Why so embarrassed, Ichigo?"

"Because Rukia is making a big deal out of it!"

Nel smirked and took a beer from Grimmjow as he walked by. "Oh, she's just making a point, Ichigo. You and Shiro have chemistry, and we can all see it. Obviously, none of us here are going to force you and Shiro to have sex, we're just all waiting for the day you do so _I_ can win a bet."

Ichigo paled. "What bet?"

Grimmjow scoffed. "As if you're going to win, hon!"

"Win what!?"

Renji rolled his eyes. "Nel and Rukia bet that you're a bottom, Ichigo, and somehow roped us into betting that you're a top."

Ichigo buried his face in a pillow.

Mad cackling erupted from the bathroom. Shiro stepped out, clutching his sides with tears pouring down his cheeks. "Ichi… I really fuckin' love yer friends."

"Shut up, pervert," Ichigo muttered.

Shiro melted into the spot next to Ichigo. He began to rub Ichigo's back.

Ichigo peeked out from the pillow. He glanced at Nel and Rukia. "Did you… really make a bet?"

"When they were drunk," Renji answered.

"I only had a few drinks!" Rukia protested.

"A few is three," Renji countered. "You had like… seven?"

"Pfft," she scoffed. "Five and a half, and I wasn't drunk. Tipsy maybe. Nel was drinking too!"

Grimmjow leaned towards Shiro and Ichigo. "Nel and Rukia plus alcohol is a dangerous but amusing mix."

"They're that regardless of the alcohol," Shiro replied.

Ichigo frowned. "Easy for you to say. They're bad for my health."

"Oi!" Nel put down her empty bottle on the table. "We can hear you, yanno?"

"Yeah!" Rukia frowned. "Now shut it and get a drink. We are celebrating!"

Ichigo almost asked what they were celebrating, but figured he'd rather not know.

Rukia passed out long after the sun went down. Renji carried her to bed. Grimmjow didn't drink so he could drive Nel home. After they left, Ichigo and Shiro stood and began to gather their things. Renji threw a pillow at Shiro.

"You're not going anywhere tonight," Renji said, folding his arms. "The library isn't open tomorrow, so you have no need to go home. You can sleep here. The couch folds out into a bed."

Ichigo pouted, "But Renji-"

"No 'buts'! Now get out of the way."

Slowly, Ichigo did what Renji said. Shiro pulled Ichigo into his arms as Renji took off the sofa cushions and pulled out the bed. Ichigo smoothed out the bedsheets before laying down. Renji tossed a pillow at Ichigo before he left to get a blanket.

Shiro laid down in bed next to Ichigo. He turned onto his side and faced Ichigo with a smile. "All the teasing and whatnot behind us, I am really glad we did that this morning."

Ichigo slid his hand into Shiro's. "I'm glad too, and the teasing I expect from Rukia. Wouldn't be the same without it." He yawned and inched closer to Shiro.

"Gay," Renji muttered, throwing the blanket over the two of them.

Ichigo laughed and shot a smile at Renji. "Thanks."

"Anytime. Have a good night!"

Ichigo nodded as Renji shut off the lights then went to bed.

Ichigo turned to face away from Shiro. Shiro smiled and pulled Ichigo into his arms. Ichigo sighed at Shiro's warmth.

Long after Ichigo and Shiro had passed out, a figure emerged from the shadows. It hovered over them, a grin the only feature visible. "Well," it hissed, "I finally found you, . . . . . My beautiful creation. At last, we can finish what we started all those years ago, and bring Ra to his knees."

Shiro's eyes snapped open. They too, glowed in the darkness. He sat up, suddenly separating from his body, and floating into the air. It was an astral projection – nothing more than a vivid dream.

Golden eyes narrowed on the shadowy figure. "Apophis…"

"Ah, ah, that's _master_ to you."

"Fuck you."

Apophis snickered and began to circle Shiro. Emotionless brown eyes turned to the orangette sleeping soundly on the bed. Shiro growled and floated between Apophis and Ichigo.

Apophis seemed surprised. "Why are you defending this human? He is inferior in so many ways… and you know his only true purpose here is to grant me with more power."

Shiro bared his teeth. "You won't get your hands on Ichigo. If you even think about it, I'll tear you apart."

Apophis tilted his head in surprise. "Get my hands on him? My dear creation, I don't need him anymore, we have his soul already… or perhaps you forgot? His soul is within the Hogyoku and I have it. All I need is you, and the ritual is complete."

Shiro blinked. "What ritual? What are you talking about!?"

Apophis leaned in close to Shiro, examining his features. "Ah, I see, that memory charm hasn't worn off yet. Ra's imprisonment must've strengthened or slowed the charm down somehow. No worries! It's time for you to remember your true purpose, . . . . . !"

* * *

Ichigo forced open Renji and Rukia's door. Rukia shot up, eyes wide, "Ichigo!? What is it!?"

"It's Shiro!" Ichigo hiccupped, tears in his eyes. "I've looked everywhere and I can't find him!"

Ichigo flinched as the words of their contract appeared on his skin. Then he remembered… Ichigo placed his hand on top of his forearm. He closed his eyes and concentrated. "Shiro… come here."

Ichigo felt someone breathing on his neck. A deep, inhuman growl sounded from behind him. He gasped as a painful grip wrapped around his waist and black wings surrounded him.

* * *

 **Thanks for being patient with my updates!**

 **I'm back in college now and, as you can probably tell, the updates are slowing down. I'm also trying to finish writing old fics so that's slowing down updates as well.**

 **I'll do my best to post new chapters as often as I can!**

 **Thanks again for waiting, and thanks for your support!**


	9. Pawn

"Why won't you speak to me, Ichigo?"

The 21-year-old turned away from his father.

Isshin sat on the sofa with the two girls while Ichigo was laying across the chair.

"Son, please tell me what's wrong," Isshin continued. "You're worrying your sisters. Rukia had to call for me to come get you because you wouldn't even talk to her. So please, son, speak to me."

"You wouldn't understand," Ichigo muttered, still refusing to meet Isshin's eyes.

Karin scowled and shot to her feet. She marched past Ichigo and disappeared into the kitchen. She grabbed the cat food and fed Tensa – the poor boy had been whining for the past half hour. Isshin sighed and slowly stood up. He followed Karin into the kitchen.

The moment Rukia had called, Isshin knew it was serious. He'd given her his personal number after Ichigo's relationship with Grimmjow had ended. He told Rukia, jokingly, that she could call anytime but should call if there were any emergencies. She was his other daughter, after all, and papa-Isshin would be there in a heartbeat to protect her! The real reason Isshin remained in contact with her was that she was the only person Isshin knew who lived near Ichigo.

When Isshin got a call from Rukia late Tuesday evening, he knew it was serious. He drove early Wednesday morning to Ichigo's house and dragged the protesting orangette (and Tensa) into the car. This brought them to now, Thursday afternoon.

"What's the matter, Ichi-nii?" Yuzu asked, her voice almost too soft to break the silence.

Ichigo felt another burst of coldness ghost across his limbs. Death was coming just as had been promised to him a week ago by the man he'd learnt to love.

Yuzu stomped her foot. "Ichi-nii, speak to me!"

Ichigo turned wide, brown eyes to his sister. "Yuzu… I… I can't explain it, even If I wanted to."

How could he explain what had happened? It was almost too fast for him to tell.

Shiro appeared when summoned, but he wasn't the same. Shiro had appeared in his true form – one which Ichigo once thought beautiful but now haunted him. He grabbed Ichigo and plucked him from Rukia and Renji's apartment. Ichigo was in a mess of feathers until he was dropped on the cold, forest ground.

* * *

 **One Week Prior…**

"Shiro!? What are you doing!?"

The God of Shadows panted. "Trying to save ya, Ichi. Before… Before – GAH!" Shiro clutched his head, another inhuman scream escaping his lungs.

"Shiro!?" Ichigo ran for him. "What's wrong?"

"Get the fuck away from me!" Shiro growled. He swatted at Ichigo, the force rippling through the air and sending Ichigo back a few meters.

Ichigo trembled from the shockwave. "Shiro… what's wrong?"

Then, Ichigo saw Shiro grin. He felt the other's laughter right to his bones.

"Shiro?"

"You're such an idiot, Ichigo. You actually care about me?"

Ichigo felt his stomach flip. He convinced himself he was hearing things. This wasn't happening… "What are you talking about?"

What Ichigo didn't see were the tears Shiro wiped away. "Ichigo…" Shiro spread his wings, once again disturbing the stillness of the trees. He waited for the ripple across the leaves to stop before he spoke again. "You're a fool. Don't you know that I was only created to use you?"

Anger gripped Ichigo first. "You're lying to me!" Then sorrow. Sorrow hurt the most. He wanted to throw up, rip his hair out and cry all at once.

"I ain't lying," Shiro hummed, grin widening. "Apophis, my master, is the one who took the Hogyoku from you, the day we made our contract. Then we waited for Ra to show himself. That's when Apophis returned my memories to me and I recalled my true purpose."

Ichigo gulped. He couldn't stop his knees or fingers from shaking.

"I was created to string you along from day one. I used your loneliness against you and became someone that you could love. I knew that I had to suck you in – otherwise you'd never make a contract with me and I'd never get your soul. Once the contract was in place, Apophis had everything he needed for his plan to come true."

Ichigo scowled and took a step forward. "Stop lying to me, bastard! Stop this! Shiro! It hurts!"

Shiro chuckled. "Good. Cry about it for all I care." He jumped closer to Ichigo, laughing at Ichigo's shocked face. "Now, Ichigo, I didn't remember this part until last night when my master appeared to me and unlocked my memories. Turns out, several hundred years ago, just before I was locked up in that tomb, Apophis and I constructed a plan. Ra was coming for me. Even though I was already bound to the Hogyoku, it wasn't enough to satisfy him. I was still causing the light trouble, after all."

"I don't want to hear this," Ichigo muttered.

Shiro shoved him.

Ichigo's eyes widened as he fell to the ground. His limbs shook from the force of the blow, wrists aching from catching himself. The rest of his body, which had landed in an awkward position on stones and tree roots, throbbed as well.

"Shut up. Never interrupt me again," Shiro spat.

Tears escaped Ichigo's eyes. For fear of getting hurt again, he kept his sobs silent.

"Now, where was I?" Shiro mused. "Ah, yes. Ra would lock me up and defeat Apophis, without a doubt. And Apophis thought Ra might torture me for information so immediately after we devised our plan, Apophis took my memories of it away." Shiro leaned back against a tree. "The plan itself? We would wait for another pure soul, then lure him to the temple. Only a pure soul would be able to find me, as you may recall, that's one of the rules of the Hogyoku. Anyway! Apophis posed as an Egyptian anthropologist and sent the invite to investigate the tomb to Kisuke – the closest thing to a pure soul Apophis could find. Because I didn't have my memories, I didn't really know why I was supposed to make a deal with Kisuke. As a result, I protected him, became friends with him, even. Apophis couldn't find us. I didn't manage to make a deal with Kisuke either. Then he hid the Hogyoku... until you found it. The rest is as you know it."

Ichigo felt the silence drag on. He pushed himself up to his knees. "So, why did you need a pure soul?"

Shiro raised a pale brow. "Why did I? I thought that was obvious."

"Humour me."

Shiro snorted and pushed himself off the tree. "A pure soul fuels my power. You made a contract with me and learnt that. Then there's the bit left behind in Kisuke's journal, that page you found wrapped around the Hogyoku? It explained that whoever kills you can make a contract with me, then kill me and take all my power. What do you think Apophis is going to do? Keep me alive?"

Ichigo hiccupped. "You're really going to throw your life away for someone like that!?"

Shiro shrugged. "Apophis created me. Why wouldn't I?" He then lunged at Ichigo. Shiro wrapped a hand around Ichigo's throat and pinned him against a tree. "You're going to die in exactly 9 days. You can't survive without your soul or without me near you. Enjoy the time you have left with your family." Shiro pet Ichigo's cheek before vanishing.

Ichigo blinked, and when he opened his eyes, he was suddenly home. Hours had passed. He felt his phone buzzing. When he checked, it was Rukia.

* * *

Nine days, Ichigo thought, that means there's two left. Two days until I die.

"Ichi-nii?" Yuzu murmured. "You stopped talking… after you said Shiro broke your heart. Who is Shiro?"

Ichigo blinked. "No one," he replied, feeling his body grow numb again. "He's no one, Yuzu."

She huffed and was about to yell when a woman placed her hand on Yuzu's shoulder. "Go into the kitchen and help Karin and Dad with dinner, alright Yuzu?"

She pouted. "Okay, Mum…"

Ichigo watched Yuzu go before he felt his mother wiggle into a spot beside him. Ichigo felt warm again as she took his hand. "Ichigo, honey, who is Shiro?"

His lip trembled. "A man I met. He was kind, gentle… I thought he might be the one, Mom."

She smiled and brushed away the tear rolling down Ichigo's cheek. "It's alright, honey. These things can hurt for a long time and you can stay here for as long as you need to."

Ichigo sighed. "If it's all the same, I need to go back tomorrow. I need to work."

"When is your next shift?"

"Saturday afternoon."

Masaki nodded. "Then I will drive you home tomorrow evening. No exceptions."

Ichigo huffed, pink lips forming a pout. Then he began to chuckle as Masaki leaned in to hug him. He sat up to meet her. Her arms were comforting, relieving the aches and pains Ichigo had been feeling. It didn't necessarily heal the pain in his chest, but her hug dulled it.

"There's his smile," Isshin teased.

Ichigo felt his cheeks grow warm and he stepped out of Masaki's hold, standing tall. "Dad? Can I help with dinner?"

Karin chuckled and rolled her eyes while Yuzu giggled.

* * *

Ichigo woke the next day feeling refreshed. He showered and changed into new clothes. As he made his way downstairs, Yuzu ran up to him. "Ichi-nii, will you go with us to the fair!?"

Ichigo blinked. "Yuzu, you're 17, can't you go to the fair yourself?"

Karin lightly punched Ichigo's arm. "She could, but she wants you to go with her. What kind of a rude response was that, Ichigo?"

"Rude?" Ichigo questioned. "Who was it that punched me?"

Yuzu frowned and looked up at the ceiling. "Well, Ichi-nii doesn't have to go if he doesn't want to."

"No, it's fine, I'd love to go," Ichigo huffed. The doorbell rang.

Masaki smiled as she moved to get it. "I invited a friend, Ichigo. I hope you don't mind!"

Ichigo blinked. "Wait! You weren't going to let me say no in the first place, were you!?"

Masaki chuckled as she opened the door. "Ah, Orihime, right on time!"

Ichigo froze. Orihime? He hadn't seen her in… possibly forever. He felt a little nervous. Would she be mad at him for never calling? He did like her Facebook posts and talked with her in the comments, so it's not like they never talked, but did that count?

And then he saw her smile and felt the familiar gaze of his best friend, and everything seemed fine.

"Nice to see you again, Ichigo. You've gotten taller, but thinner. Have you been eating?"

Ichigo felt himself smiling. "No, I, uh… I started eating less when I stopped working out every day, I guess. Just been taking things slow. How are you, Orihime?"

She tilted her head slightly to the left, the way she always did when she wanted to brush things off. "Oh, I'm good. Nothing too new."

Ichigo chuckled as Masaki handed him his coat. He slid his arms through the sleeves then raised a brow at Orihime. "Nothing?"

"Well, I started working at a bakery."

"You? At a bakery?"

"Hey! I went through cooking classes and mastered baking. I don't make things like spinach and caramel soup anymore."

Ichigo smiled and did up his jacket. "Are you sure?"

"Here!" She shoved a bag at him. "Try one of these if you don't believe me!"

Ichigo grinned and reached inside. There were small boxes, each packed with four baked goods. The box Ichigo opened had scones. He selected a blueberry one and took a bite.

"Well?" Orihime pressed.

Ichigo gulped down the bite. "It's really good." He returned the box to the bag and continued to devour the scone.

"I told you!" Orihime smiled and kicked off her boots before she moved into the kitchen. Isshin took the bag and gave her a 'loving father hug'. Isshin released her and disappeared around the counter, Karin close behind.

"Don't eat all of them!" Masaki shouted.

Orihime rubbed her sides as she returned to Ichigo. "Well, nice to know things haven't changed."

Ichigo scratched the back of his head. "Yeah, I guess."

Masaki sighed and placed her hands on her hips. "Well, shall we go then?"

Yuzu nodded and ran out the door. Orihime followed. Ichigo glanced back at his mom. Her smile softened as if to reassure Ichigo.

Masaki turned towards the kitchen. "Isshin, Karin! If I come in there and you're stuffing your faces, you're both grounded!"

Ichigo chuckled at the thought of his father being grounded.

* * *

It was ninth grade. Ichigo had been avoiding Orihime all day.

 _How am I going to break up with the most popular girl in my grade?_

He cringed at the imaginary voices in his head. All the students in his class teasing him. All the boys asking what was wrong with him, and all the girls scolding him for breaking Orihime's heart.

Then, Ichigo spotted her. She was just about to enter the classroom when Ichigo called, "Orihime!"

Orihime turned to him and smiled. She murmured something to Tatsuki and the other girl nodded and continued into class without her. Orihime approached Ichigo. "Hiya, Kurosaki-kun… good morning."

"Good morning, Inoue…" Ichigo turned towards the stairs. "Can we talk? In private?"

Orihime's smiled faded. "Yeah, of course." She could already tell where this was going. She followed Ichigo through the doors, to the left of the stairs, and then under them. Students were usually at their lockers or heading to class at this time, so the buzzing from their conversation kept anyone from overhearing Ichigo and Orihime's. Plus, hiding under the stairs gave them some bonus privacy.

They stood there for a moment in silence before Ichigo opened his mouth. Before he could say anything, Orihime spoke, "Ichigo, I have to ask you something."

Ichigo froze. "Yeah?"

Orihime glanced to her right, through the windows on the doors which lead outside. She leaned a little closer to Ichigo before asking, "Ichigo, are you gay?"

Ichigo's heart skipped a beat. "What? No!" He scoffed, but it didn't have any weight to it. He took a step away from her.

"Ichigo, it's fine if you are," Orihime insisted. "You just… you never look me in the eye since we started dating. If we can even call this 'dating'... You're awkward and distant. Gay or not, I liked us better as friends."

Ichigo released a breath he didn't know he'd been holding. "You did? Really?"

Orihime nodded. "You've been on edge. You look shaky and pale, and sick whenever we're together. Plus, you and I both know the only reason we're going out is that everyone found out that I had a crush on you, then pressured you into asking me."

Ichigo pouted. "That's not true."

"Yes, it is," Orihime shrugged. "But that doesn't matter to me. What's more important is that we're friends. I want to be here for you."

"So, are we… breaking up then?" Ichigo carefully asked.

Orihime nodded. "It's for the best. We can still be friends, right?"

"Of course!"

Ichigo stiffened slightly as she hugged him, but in that moment, everything seemed to click. He smiled and hugged her back. The pressure of keeping a perfect relationship melted away. Ichigo was glad to have his best friend back.

They separated and returned to class together. Ichigo waved her off and went to sit with Keigo and Chad on the far side of the room.

Orihime hopped into her seat. She took out her homework from the night before and placed it on the front-right corner of her desk.

Tatsuki glanced at her. "So, what happened?"

"Hmm?" Orihime blinked. "Oh! We broke up."

Tatsuki froze. "You did what!? That bastard. I'm gonna break him!"

Orihime giggled and placed a hand on Tatsuki's shoulder. "It's okay, Tatsuki. I broke up with him."

Tatsuki blinked. "What? But I thought you liked him, Orihime?"

She nodded. "I do, but dating isn't working. I want us to be friends, Tatsuki. I don't want a silly relationship status to come between me and Ichigo."

"Wow~" Tatsuki teased, the side of her lip lifting into a smirk. "You're calling him by his first name now, huh?"

Orihime flinched. "H-Huh!? Well, I mean, yeah! He's always told me to and… and now…"

Tatsuki chuckled and gently punched Orihime's shoulder. "Don't worry about it, Orihime. It's fine. You both seem much happier and comfortable this way."

Orihime giggled nervously and rubbed her shoulder.

A few days later, she received a text from Ichigo. 'Orihime, what if I am gay? What do I do? How did you know? Is it obvious?'

She gulped and sat up on her bed. Orihime thought for a moment before she replied, 'It's not an illness, Ichigo. It's okay if you're gay. It's just part of who you are.'

A minute later, Ichigo answered, 'How do I tell my dad? I haven't even told him that we've broken up yet. He was so proud when you and I started dating. I don't know what to tell him.'

'Well, start by telling him that we broke up. Then when he asks why, you tell him it's because you're not interested in me that way. He can put the rest of pieces together on his own.'

'What if he gets mad?'

'When has your dad ever gotten mad at you?'

She noticed Ichigo took longer to reply this time. Orihime smiled. Ichigo knew she was right. Her phone buzzed with Ichigo's response, 'Okay. I'll tell him that we broke up, then… if it feels right, I'll tell him that I'm gay.'

"I am gay…" Ichigo murmured to himself a few minutes later. He started at his reflection in the bathroom mirror. Those words had been foreign to him for years, and now they were suddenly so personal. It felt good. He grinned and chuckled to himself. Ichigo immediately ran downstairs. "Dad!"

Isshin turned to Ichigo from the living room. "Ichigo, my boy! What's with the shouting?"

Courage and fear clashed in his chest. Excitement and anxiety. His heart was pounding against his chest. "Dad, Orihime and I broke up."

Isshin's features softened. "You did? Are you okay?"

Ichigo hadn't expected concern. He thought Isshin would scream, question him, demand answers. Instead, Isshin shut off the TV and stood up. He wandered towards Ichigo.

"Son? Are you alright?"

Ichigo slowly nodded. "Yeah, umm… we're both fine. It was mutual, dad, and we decided to still be friends."

Relief washed over Isshin's face. "That's great, Ichigo. That's very mature."

Ichigo chuckled and immediately felt heat rush to his face. "And, umm… well, there's something else."

Isshin nodded and stood tall. Ichigo felt like his dad was staring down at him, even though the look was not of disappointment or anger.

 _C'mon, Ichigo, you just said it to yourself a minute ago, you can say it again!_

Ichigo balled his hands into fists. "We aren't dating anymore, also because, I don't really think I'm into… girls."

 _I'll go pack my things and live on the street. See ya!_

"You're gay," Isshin stated.

Ichigo nodded, suddenly feeling dizzy. "I mean, I think so. I don't know. Orihime thinks so. I know I'm not attracted to girls but I've never really thought about guys or anything like that, so..."

Isshin hugged him. "Don't worry, Ichigo. Whoever you're attracted to, I support you. Your mother and sisters too. We all want you to be happy."

* * *

 **Some more of Ichigo's personal history and a little love for Orihime~ Now I know Ichigo said he's never been with someone before in a previous chapter, but that's because he and Orihime don't consider that time as dating. They decided to move on as friends (and she even helps Ichigo accept himself, how sweet).**

 **Also, I understand that bit with Shiro is probably confusing... Read carefully and it'll make sense. If not, next chapter will have some more explaining. As always, thank you for reading!**


	10. Ignite His Spirit

**It's been a while since I've worked on this story, eh? I ended up pretty busy working on "I AM Zangetsu".**

 **Just so you know, I had a poll on my profile where I asked people to vote on which stories they were most interested in. I would then update the stories in the order of most votes to least. The top 5 are: "** **I AM Zangetsu", "** **Protecting the Protector", "** **Two Halves of a Whole", "** **God of Shadows", and "** **White as Snow".**

 **I'll be working on those 5 as my top priority - and I will also be updating "Playing Hero" on AO3. ("Playing Hero" is currently only on AO3 because I have to edit it to meet Fanfiction net's "guidelines".)**

 **I hope everyone is having a wonderful summer! See you again soon!**

* * *

Despite the lingering sorrow he felt in his chest, Ichigo couldn't keep himself from smiling as he wandered through the fair with his family and Orihime. He hugged his jacket a little closer as a chilly wind blew past, but it wasn't a completely unwelcomed chill. The wind provided relief from the hot sun beating down on Ichigo's back.

Ichigo slipped away for a second and bought three bags of cotton candy. He handed a bag to Yuzu, who immediately shared it with Masaki. Then he gave a bag to Karin and said, "Don't let dad eat it all."

Karin chuckled. "Wasn't planning on it."

Isshin went teary-eyed. "Wah! Masaki, our children are conspiring against me!"

Masaki smirked and pet Isshin's head. "Aww, it's all right dear. You can have some of mine." She placed a piece of cotton candy in his hands.

Ichigo felt his heart lighten. He loved his family so much. It was hard to imagine that everything was going to end soon…

"Ichigo? Is that last bag for us, by chance?"

Ichigo blinked and turned on his heels to see Orihime smiling eagerly at him. Ichigo jumped. "Yeah! Sorry, here! Have some!" He opened the bag then held the opening out to Orihime.

Orihime giggled and took a small piece.

Slowly, Orihime and Ichigo wandered from the group. They ended up sitting on a bench a short distance from the busiest part of the fair.

Orihime lost her gaze over Ichigo's shoulder. She jumped to her feet and starting waving wildly. "Hey, Uryu! Over here!"

Ichigo followed her gaze. His eyes landed on Uryu Ishida… that was a face Ichigo hadn't seen in a very long time.

Orihime cleared her throat. "Ichigo, you remember Uryu, right?"

"Yeah, of course," Ichigo half muttered, trying not to sound bitter. He placed another piece of cotton candy into his mouth and let it melt on his tongue.

Uryu smiled. "It has been a while, eh Kurosaki? I was just talking about you a few days ago with Chad. We agreed you'd make a great model for my-"

"Nope!" Ichigo turned away. "That's not happening again… not after last time!"

Uryu chuckled. He still had photos from the school fair, the one and only time he was able to get Ichigo to wear clothing he had designed. Ichigo had been forced into it unless he wanted to fail their group assignment.

And he was still finding glitter in places there shouldn't be…

"So, what brings you out here?" Ichigo asked.

Uryu smirked. "Well, I could have asked you the same thing. You haven't visited this part of Karakura in a while, Ichigo. Been busy?"

"Working," Ichigo replied. He felt guilty when he realized that he hadn't seen Uryu since he got the job working at the library – the job he got a few months after graduating high school. Actually, it had been since his mother's birthday last year that he'd visited downtown Karakura at all. Usually, his family travelled to the outskirts of Karakura to visit him, but that meant Ichigo lost touch with friends like Orihime, Chad, and Uryu, who never really had a convenient moment to travel out Ichigo's way to visit him. Plus, Ichigo lived further than the busses went, and he was certain none of his friends owned a car.

Ichigo had stayed in touch with Rukia and Tatsuki, though. Rukia was one of the reasons he discovered the library where he was currently working. Rukia was a few years older than Ichigo, and she used to work at the same bakery as Orihime before Rukia moved to the edge of town to take over the café her older sister owned. Meanwhile, Tatsuki decided to become a champion boxer and therefore had a car which allowed her to travel from one match to the next. She usually visited Ichigo shortly after a match during her recovery period.

"You have a job?" Uryu asked.

Ichigo blinked. "Why is that such a big surprise to you?"

"You just don't seem the type to be that responsible, I guess."

"You wanna say that again?"

Orihime usually would have broken up their fighting, she knew Rukia would've already… but there was something about the look on Ichigo's face. It had been a long time since he bickered with Uryu, and Orihime knew the nostalgia was good for him.

"So, anyway," Ichigo huffed, shoving his hands into his pockets. "Is there anything you wanted to do, Orihime? A game or something?"

That sad look in his eyes had returned… and Orihime did her best not to frown. "Well, it's been a long time since I've played bumper-cars!"

Ichigo smirked, though the smile didn't reach his eyes.

* * *

"Thank you for the time out," Ichigo said to Orihime. He then turned to Uryu and added, "The thanks is extended to you, too, Ishida."

"Whatever you say, Kurosaki."

Ichigo chuckled to himself.

Orihime glanced at Uryu, "Did you walk here?"

"I took the bus. Are you travelling home with me or with the Kurosaki family?"

"I'll meet you at the bus station in a minute, Uryu… can I have a moment alone with Ichigo?"

Uryu's expression softened. He nodded at Ichigo. "See you around then, Kurosaki. Don't be a stranger."

Ichigo's lips twitched into a small smile. "Yeah… bye, Uryu."

Uryu waved goodbye and jogged towards the gates.

Ichigo watched him leave. "So, are the two of you still dating?"

"Yeah. I think he might ask me to marry him soon."

Ichigo turned towards Orihime. "What!? Really!? That's great!"

Orihime sighed. "Yeah…"

Ichigo frowned. "Orihime? What's wrong? You like Uryu, right?"

Orihime's head snapped up. "What!? Of course, I do! I'm not upset with Uryu, Ichigo, I'm… I'm upset with you."

Ichigo's nerves pulsed with anxiety. "Me…?"

Orihime nodded. "You've been avoiding something all day, Ichigo. I can see the look in your eyes. And don't try to shrug me off. I remember how it felt… I remember the expression I wore when I had to pretend everything was okay when mom and dad beat Sora."

Ichigo froze.

"Even now, six years after he and I moved out of that terrible place, I still remember how I looked in the mirror when I practiced smiling… the same look you have now."

Ichigo knew she was right, but even still, he had no idea how to go about explaining what was wrong with him. "I…" His hands shook. "I don't know where to start, Orihime."

"At the beginning… silly."

Ichigo released a shaky sigh. "It's… all of it's so impossible, though. I don't know if you'll believe me."

Orihime shook her head. "You're my friend, Ichigo. Of course, I'll believe you."

And just like that, it all spilled out. The journal he found, the weird instructions, the Hogyoku… the way it called to him. And then there was Shiro: the way he lured him in, charmed him, protected him… and possibly, the way it had all been just a lie to use him.

When Ichigo was done explaining, he was met with silence.

Orihime stared at the ground in thought. "You and Shiro… were close, right? He treated you kindly and he didn't hurt you, at least, not until the end?"

Ichigo slowly nodded.

Orihime chewed her lip. "Then… are you really mad at him?"

Ichigo stiffened at her question.

"I'm just asking, sorry… It just seems like you're not actually mad at him, like you don't blame him. You seem mad at yourself, as usual, Ichigo. But if you take a step back and really look at the situation, then I think it becomes obvious what's going on."

"How so?" Ichigo slowly asked.

"Well…" Orihime thought over her words carefully. She didn't want to hurt Ichigo more than he was already hurting. "Well, it seems like you're mad that you couldn't do anything to stop Shiro. Like maybe, you know this wasn't something he would do, you know it in your heart, and so you're confused as to why he would do this. You think there has to be a reason, but you couldn't do anything to get him to give you a clear answer. I know you, Ichigo, and you hate it when you don't have all the pieces."

Ichigo blinked. Well, damn, maybe she was right? Despite his best efforts, he couldn't bring himself to actually hate Shiro, and that was because of his touch and his words… they felt so genuine. Maybe there was a piece Ichigo was missing, but either way, it didn't matter. He was going to de soon and his chance for answers would disappear…

"It's not like you to just give up, either," Orihime added. "The Ichigo I know wouldn't go down without a fight. Shiro might be the _'God of Shadows'_ , or whatever, but Ichigo… if what you're saying is true, and you'll really die, then what do you have to lose by fighting back? You're going to lose everything if you don't, so…"

"Thanks, Orihime."

She glanced up at him.

There was still a lot Ichigo needed to think about, but he knew she was right about this. It wasn't like him to give up without a fight. Sure, Ichigo always tried to avoid confrontation in the past, and to take the most peaceful route to a resolution, but this was different. He and Shiro had bonded much faster than Ichigo had bonded with anyone else. Shiro had truly gained his trust, and it still didn't feel like manipulation when Ichigo thought back on it. He wanted Shiro back…

Ichigo felt something burning at the centre of his being.

Orihime could see it too, a spark in Ichigo's eyes.

"I think I know what I have to do," Ichigo murmured. "Thank you, Orihime."

"Anytime…" She grabbed his hand before he had a chance to run away. "And Ichigo, please, there are people here who care about you. If you ever find it hard to fight for yourself again, then just remember us. Come back to us, okay?"

Ichigo smiled and this time it reached his eyes. "I will. I promise."

* * *

When Ichigo returned home, he gave his sisters and his dad a hug each before saying his goodbyes. Then he waved to them as he got into the car.

Masaki climbed into the driver's seat and shut the door. As she backed out of the driveway, she said, "You can fool them, but I know something is still bothering you. I saw you chatting with Orihime and you looked much happier afterwards, so if you don't want to talk about it with me, I'll understand, but if I can help…"

Ichigo sighed and leaned his forehead against the car window. "It's nothing mom. I had a great day with you guys and I have to go back to work tomorrow. I guess I'm just tired… and I'm still thinking about Shiro."

Masaki sat in silence for a minute while she drove, thinking about what to say. "I won't say try not to think about him, Ichigo, because that won't help you at all. So instead, I want you to think about him, but only the good things. Enjoy the good again and again until you're sick of thinking about it and you're ready to move on."

Ichigo closed his eyes and smiled. "Thanks, mom…"

"And another thing, Ichigo, I'm really glad you called home. I don't like you trying to keep others from worrying about you. It's not healthy to bottle things up all the time."

"Yeah, yeah…"

"Don't give me that," Masaki scolded with a smile. "I'm still your mother and we're your family. You'd better call on us anytime you need us, understand?"

Ichigo nodded. "I understand."

* * *

The rest of the car ride was filled with small talk. Masaki told Ichigo about her coworkers, the younger staff members just reaching that age where they were getting married or having their first child. Masaki giggled to herself, telling Ichigo about the day she announced to her co-workers that she was pregnant with Ichigo.

"It was the happiest day of my life, knowing that you'd be joining our world only 9 months later."

Ichigo shrunk in his car seat, embarrassed.

Masaki trailed off in her stories, stopping every so often to hum along to the radio. Ichigo began to drift off. He felt like he'd only just passed out when the car twisted in a familiar path before coming to a complete stop.

Ichigo blinked awake, his gaze immediately landing on his front door.

"Are you sure you want to be alone, honey? I can spend the night if you need me."

Ichigo gave his mother a gentle smile. "I'll be fine, mom. You and dad are just a phone call away, right?"

"Whenever you need us."

Ichigo nodded and slowly got out of the car. "Thanks for driving me home, mom."

Masaki smirked. She shut off the car and stepped out.

"Mom?"

"Oh, at least humour me for an hour, Ichigo. Can you honestly expect me to let you go while you still look so sad?"

Ichigo pouted.

Masaki chuckled and glanced around. "Hmm, your lawn needs to be mowed."

"I know," Ichigo muttered. "I've been out of it for a while…"

"I'll send your father over tomorrow to do it."

Ichigo blinked. "What? No, you don't have to-"

"And I bet you need groceries too." Masaki placed her hands on her hips.

"Mom, I can take care of that, I-"

"You're thin. You obviously need to eat more. Let me cook you a nice meal, c'mon. You can help, just like you used to when you were a teenager."

When it was obvious that Ichigo couldn't argue his way out of this, he closed his car door and dug around in his pockets for his house keys. Once he got his front door open, a strange noise greeted Ichigo and Masaki.

"Mrr…"

"Oi, Tensa," Ichigo murmured.

Tensa growled and bolted behind the kitchen counter.

Ichigo glanced at Masaki and shrugged. "He doesn't like strangers."

"Well, I wouldn't be a stranger if you introduced me to him sooner," Masaki huffed.

Ichigo shrunk. "Sorry…" He sniffed the air, and when it didn't stink, he silently thanked Rukia for taking care of Tensa's food and litter while he was gone.

Ichigo kicked off his shoes and put his bag down on the floor. He slowly made his way into the kitchen and scooped a handful of cat food as he passed the bag on the counter.

He glanced back at Masaki, who was standing a few steps from the front door. Ichigo said, "Just… stay back for a sec?"

She nodded.

Ichigo slowly lowered himself to the ground.

Tensa's growls softened.

Ichigo chuckled, "C'mon you silly kitty, you're hungry, aren'cha?"

Tensa took a small step forward.

"That's it… a little more. You know I don't bite and I promise mom won't either."

Tensa sniffled the food in Ichigo's hand. He licked it. Then he started eating.

Ichigo smiled. "Mom, you can pour some food into his bowl. Only fill it to about half."

"Okay…" Masaki stepped into the kitchen and reached for the bag of food up on the counter. She moved slowly, Tensa watching her as her the bag crinkled. Masaki poured some food into the bowl. As soon as Tensa finished what was in Ichigo's hand, he ran up to the bowl and started devouring the food there.

Ichigo stood tall as Masaki put the bag of food back on the counter.

"You're really good with him," Masaki said.

Ichigo shrugged. "We have an understanding."

Masaki chuckled. "Still, cats aren't always very trusting, especially when they've been obviously hurt like he has. You're taking really good care of him, Ichigo. It shows how much you've grown from that boy who used to fight with his classmates."

Ichigo scowled. "That was like, grade 9, mom."

"Up until grade 11, Ichigo."

Ichigo huffed and folded his arms. "Whatever, it's not like I wanted to get picked on or anything."

"And yet, even though people tried to drag you down and hurt you, you grew up into such a kind young man."

"Mom, stop, this is embarrassing me…"

Masaki giggled and slowly hugged her son. "That's my job, Ichigo."


	11. One For Another

Ichigo said goodbye to his mother as she dropped him off at the library. Masaki was going to go home sooner, but when she discovered that Ichigo walked to work, she insisted on dropping him off. Ichigo apparently didn't have a choice in the matter as his mother grabbed his lunch bag and placed it in the passenger seat.

Ichigo laughed a little to himself and climbed in. He did up his seat belt and settled back into the seat, his lunch on his lap.

"So, you work at the library, huh?"

"Yeah… still."

Masaki smiled as she drove. "You've always loved books."

"Yup…"

"And you still enjoy working there?"

"I promise, Mom, it makes me happy. I wouldn't still be working there if it didn't."

"Just making sure," Masaki replied.

Ichigo 'hmmed' in response. He didn't bother to tell his mother that he usually stopped at Rukia's café on the way to his work since she was being nice to enough to give him a ride already. Once they arrived, Masaki parked on the side of the street and unlocked the car doors.

"Have a good day, honey," Masaki said.

Ichigo slid out of his seat, taking his lunch bag in hand as he stepped out of the car. He shut the door and Masaki opened the window. Ichigo leaned against the car, sticking his head back in to smile at his mother. "Thanks… I love you, mom."

"I love you too."

Ichigo didn't have the heart to walk into the library until after he'd watched his mother's car disappear around the corner.

He sighed.

Ichigo felt his smile falter. He turned around and followed the steps into the library. He put his lunch away in the fridge in the employee's room, clipped on his nametag and then stepped out into the main room. He glanced around at all the shelves, noticing a thin layer of grey upon the wooden surfaces. His body settled into his routine without him thinking too much about it.

Ra stepped out of his office a moment later, spotting orange-head dusting a shelf that was a few rows down from his office.

"Ichigo?" he called gently, breaking the morning's silence. Ra slowly approached Ichigo, a concerned look on his face.

Ichigo didn't bother to look away from what he was doing as he mumbled a soft, "Morning…"

Ra sighed. "I didn't expect to see you here. You took off so suddenly and your letter was quite worrying, what's wrong?"

Ichigo turned his full attention towards his boss. "I… I thought you would have known, already. Apo-"

"Don't say his real name," Ra cut in. "Names give power. Call him Tsukishima instead."

Ichigo nodded. "Tsukishima, then… he did something to Shiro. Woke him up or something. Shiro told me I was to die, well… _today,_ I guess."

Ra's eyes widened. Ichigo's news was bad, and it only unsettled him more with how relaxed… or perhaps how _complacent_ Ichigo seemed about it. "Shiro said _what_?"

When Ichigo didn't move to respond, Ra grabbed Ichigo by the shoulders, forcing Ichigo to make eye contact. "Tell me his words _exactly,_ Ichigo Kurosaki."

Ichigo gasped and braced himself against the shelf behind him. Ra's sudden motion almost caused him to lose his balance. "H-He said I was going to die in exactly nine days, I don't know why! Counting down, that leads to today… He said something like I couldn't survive without him near me or I wouldn't live for long without my soul."

Ra shook his head. "Ridiculous. Loads of people survive without a soul. But… _nine_ days? That's specific. Perhaps a warning the real Shiro was trying to leave for us."

Ichigo gulped. "The real Shiro?"

Ra smiled and loosened his grip on Ichigo's shoulders. "Young human, isn't it obvious? He shoved you away to protect you from… well, either him or Tsukishima. Shiro cares for you more than I have ever seen him care for another human."

Ichigo's confusion was quickly replaced with anger. "No, that's… He wouldn't hide something like that from me…"

The bells at the front door rang. Ichigo and Ra turned and saw a dark-haired man enter. Ra's expression darkened as he pushed Ichigo behind him.

The man chuckled. "Oh please, do what you want with the boy, I don't care."

"Your bluff won't work on me. I know why you kept Ichigo alive, and I won't allow you to have him."

Ichigo frowned, "But Aizen, I'm dead soon anyway."

Aizen scoffed. "Quit being a fool, Ichigo. If he wanted you dead, you would be dead already. The nine days must have been a warning. Shiro was trying to tell you that Tsukishima would be coming for you in nine days. At least you wound up back here where I can protect you."

Apophis snickered. He closed his eyes and shook his head. When he opened his eyes again, they had turned golden and his pupils were slit. "Protect him? Ra, you can hardly protect yourself. Don't make me laugh."

Apophis raised his hand and snapped his fingers. The door slowly opened, and Apophis stepped aside, revealing Shiro behind him.

Ichigo gulped. He was startled to find that, even though Shiro's presence was currently threatening, the god still appeared beautiful. He stood in his true form, only now he had gold chains dangling from his horns and around his neck. He had talon-like claws and a grin to his lips, but Ichigo felt there was something missing. That charming glint in Shiro's eyes had vanished, replaced with an inhuman blankness.

Ra turned to look at Ichigo. "You're going to have to fight Shiro."

Ichigo blinked. "What? Me? Fight? What can I possibly do against a-"

Ra touched Ichigo's arm and the golden letters of his contract appeared. "You still have half of his power. Reach down within you, feel it… You have a warrior's spirit, Ichigo Kurosaki. You are brave, and you have a strong heart. And remember, you are not fighting Shiro, you are fighting to get the Shiro you know back."

Ichigo gasped when Apophis suddenly lunged at Ra. The two of them moved faster than he could see. To Ichigo, the two were inside the library one second, and they next they were gone.

Thunder sounded outside.

Ichigo released a deep breath and barely had time to think when Shiro attacked him. Ichigo closed his eyes and brought up his arms to block. He heard a loud crack. When there was no pain, Ichigo opened his eyes to see the letters on his arms glowing a brilliant blue. Shiro remained in front of him, pushing against a force that Ichigo couldn't see, but could feel. It was like an invisible wall.

The orange-head felt pain flash through his heart. The beginning of tears formed in his eyes. "You… you suck, you know that!?"

When Shiro remained irresponsive, Ichigo's breath hitched.

"How could you do this to me?" Ichigo whimpered. He pushed against Shiro, the god stumbling backwards. Ichigo tried to suppress his rage but his thoughts were racing and the past few days of agony rushed to the surface of his brain.

The edge of a sword sliced through the tip of his nose. Ichigo jumped backwards and cried from the sudden jolt of pain. He gritted his teeth and brought his hands to his nose. Blood covered his fingers.

"You're a fool," Shiro spoke, voice emotionless… hollow. "You may have power, but you are not ready to use it. You won't be able to defeat me, human. You may as well make it easier on yourself and give up now. Apophis needs you alive, but he does not need you in one piece."

Ichigo grunted as Shiro's fist connected with his stomach. He grabbed Shiro by his wrist and spat out a combination of spit and blood. Ichigo smirked, "I'll die before I give in. Are you prepared to kill me, Shiro? Is this really what you want?"

Pain sparked from his jaw and shot down to the ends of his nerves as Shiro punched Ichigo's cheek and sent him to the ground.

Tears fell. Ichigo's arms shook as he tried to push himself up off the ground and onto his knees. "Fine!" He spat at Shiro. "You never cared… whatever, but I _did_! I thought you were creepy at first! I thought you were just another person who was gonna use me then throw me away, but then… then you listened when I spoke, you smiled when I laughed… I thought you cared, and I still think a part of you really did."

Shiro shook his head and lifted Ichigo off the ground. "Are you going to come with me quietly or will I have to cut out your tongue?"

Ichigo sniffled softly. He let his tears roll freely down his face. "What is he going to do to me, Shiro? Is it going to hurt? Will I ever see my family again?" Ichigo coughed and brought his arm up to his face to wipe his tears. "I-I'm a fucking mess… Even when I want to hate you, I can't! I'm trying to be strong… but Shiro, I'm so fucking scared…"

Ichigo felt Shiro's grip loosen. The orange-head fell to his knees. Ichigo curled up on himself, hiding his face in his knees as he sobbed.

Shiro dropped to one knee. He blinked and turned to look down at Ichigo. Slowly, he pulled him into his arms.

Ichigo gasped. "What are you doing?"

Shiro hugged him tightly. "I-Ichigo? Why are you… crying?"

Ichigo pushed himself out of Shiro's arms and locked eyes with the god. He placed his hands on Shiro's cheeks and sobbed. "Please, I swear, if this is another trick… Please, Shiro, don't fuck with me. You already have me. You can bring me to Apophis. I can't beat you… Please don't toy with me more. I give up."

Shiro reached forward and brushed Ichigo's hair out of his face. "What are you talking about, Ichigo? You look exhausted. You're bleeding. Who did this to you? Was it… me?"

He collapsed against Shiro, sobbing into the god's chest.

Shiro held him tightly, brushing his fingers through Ichigo's hair.

As he held Ichigo, his memories slowly came back to him. And as much as he wanted to set everything right with Ichigo now, he could hear the gods battling outside… this town would suffer the consequences if no one stopped them soon.

Shiro slowly stood up, but Ichigo had different plans. He grabbed Shiro's shirt in handfuls and screamed, "How fucking could you!?"

Shiro flinched at the harsh words. He saw tears rolling down Ichigo's cheeks, dampening both Ichigo's shirt and his own.

Ichigo wanted to slap Shiro… or punch him or shove him against the ground or just _something._ Even after Shiro had caused him so much pain that he had completely shut down, he couldn't and wouldn't dare hurt Shiro or do anything to reflect the pain back onto the other. He cared for him.

All Ichigo could do was scream. "Why did you think that was a good idea? What did you hope to accomplish by throwing me to the ground and acting like everything, every reason that you mattered to me, was all one big lie!?"

Shiro flinched and turned away. "Ichigo, I'm sorry…"

"You're _sorry_?" Ichigo laughed, bitterly. Then his laughter turned to sobs and a fresh set of tears spilt down his cheeks. He wrapped his arms around Shiro's waist and laid on his lower half, sobbing into Shiro's stomach. "You do care, right? That wasn't the lie?"

Shiro wrapped his arms and wings around the trembling human. "I promise, Ichigo, the only time I ever lied to ya was when I took you to that forest. I was trying to protect you…"

Ichigo nodded. "I know, I know… it still hurts."

"I'm sorry I did that to ya." Shiro brushed his fingers through Ichigo's hair, his fingertips spreading as they slid down the back of Ichigo's head. He repeated the process, feeling silky orange hair slide through his fingers and taking note of Ichigo's breathing evening out the longer he caressed the orange-head.

"Can you promise me…?"

Shiro frowned. "Promise you what?"

"Promise that you care about me…"

Shiro leaned Ichigo back a bit. He leaned in and licked the wound on Ichigo's nose. The human flinched as the wound healed. Shiro offered him a small smile, knowing that the air between them was still tense. "I care about you, Ichigo. I promise that I always will."

The thunder outside struck again. Ichigo and Shiro bolted upright as the thunder shook the entire library. They slowly climbed to their feet, clinging loosely to each other.

Splinters flew everywhere as Ra crashed through the ceiling of the library.

Ichigo gasped, "Aizen!?"

Ra climbed to his feet before Apophis dropped down on top of him, his foot pushing Ra's head into the floorboard.

"And just what do you think you're doing, _?"

Ichigo blinked. He still couldn't hear Shiro's real name.

Shiro choked in pain.

Ichigo whipped around as Shiro tumbled to his knees and grabbed his head. A scream slowly built in Shiro's throat.

"Young mortal…" Apophis's voice wrapped around Ichigo's head. Ichigo watched the colour drain from the world as time suddenly stopped. His heart beat frantically in his chest.

"You wish to save Shiro, yes?"

Ichigo flinched as the voice solidified next to his ear. He felt something coil around his body – a snake.

"I'll make you a deal, human. I want you in his place."

Ichigo gulped. "Are you going to release Shiro? He's no longer yours! No longer bound to serve you!"

The snake moved to Ichigo's other shoulder. "Yes, of course. He is free to walk the Earth however he pleases, but you are mine. Your body is my vessel."

Ichigo turned his gaze to Shiro. He noticed the blood dripping down his cheeks – coming from his eyes and the horns that had been forced from his skull. He could free Shiro from Apophis's control… forever.

"If you ever hurt Shiro-"

"Then you will have the power to stop me, yes, yes…"

"And he never has to serve you again."

"Yes!" Apophis hissed. "Now, do we have a deal?"

"One more condition… you give me 24 hours to say goodbye." Ichigo wouldn't put Shiro through the same hell he'd been through. He knew Shiro was just trying to push Ichigo away so that it wouldn't hurt him when Shiro turned on Ichigo, but the truth had been far less painful than the lie Shiro made to try to spare his feelings. Ichigo would tell Shiro the truth.

Apophis smirked, and the snake coiled tighter around Ichigo. "You have a deal, human."

Ichigo nodded. He cried as fangs dug into his neck. Then it all went fuzzy and soon after, dark.

o/o/o

"Ichigo?"

He felt a throbbing pain, not only in his head but also in his neck.

"Ichigo!?"

"He's coming to…" Ra sounded.

Ichigo blinked open his eyes. He noticed Shiro leaning over him, and he felt the other's lap beneath his head and hands cradling him. He could see Ra just behind Shiro, a few cuts on his face but otherwise looking unaffected by Apophis's assault. Ichigo sighed and curled up a bit more in Shiro's lap.

"What did you do, Ichigo?" Shiro asked.

"Guess I can't really beat around the bush, can I…?" Ichigo replied.

Shiro frowned and brushed his thumb over Ichigo's cheek.

Ichigo knew Shiro wasn't going to be happy. "I made a deal with Tsukishima."

Shiro blinked, not recognizing the name for a moment.

Ra instantly dropped next to Ichigo, his angered expression directly in Ichigo's face. "You did _what!?_ I knew you were foolish, human, but I never thought you'd do something so stupid and suicidal!"

"What did you do!?" Shiro asked again, this time far more alarmed.

Ichigo slowly sat up, a wave of nausea gripping him. Shiro slid behind him to help him sit up. Ichigo leaned back into him, even if it hurt for more reasons that one. Shiro's own actions still hurt him, but his anger had faded, and he knew that this might be the last time he would be held in Shiro's arms.

"Ichigo?" Shiro pressed.

Ichigo shot him a small, weak smile. "I made an exchange. Your freedom and safety for my body as his vessel."

Shiro's eyes widened. Shiro felt his neck for the chains that used to bind his will to Apophis's. There were red marks from where the chain had been, but the golden confinements were gone. Shiro turned on Ra, "Can you do anything about this!? Change the terms?"

Ra shook his head. "I'm afraid it's beyond my power to alter this contract."

"But you changed my contract with Ichigo."

Ra nodded. "I was able to do that because it was my power that created the contract in the first place."

As soon as Ra finished his sentence, Ichigo watched an idea flickered across Ra's expression. Ichigo asked, "What are you thinking about?"

"You might not be as foolish as I thought, human…" Ra murmured. "For your soul is still within the Hogyoku and therefore protected by it. There's a chance that you will survive Tsukishima's possession. Your body is strong too, that's the only reason he'd want it as a vessel other than the fact that your soul would already be out of the way."

Ichigo chuckled. "Oh, is that all?"

Shiro shot a frown in Ichigo's direction. "How can you be joking about this?"

"Because whatever happens is gonna happen… but you'll be safe, Shi. You're what matters."

Shiro leaned in a little closer to Ichigo. Ichigo nodded his consent, and Shiro closed the distance, sealing Ichigo's lips with a kiss. Despite all the rage and pain he felt in the past few days, Ichigo found himself kissing back, deepening it. He clung onto Shiro and his kiss grew desperate.

Shiro pulled Ichigo back onto his lap, Ichigo straddling him. Shiro's hands slid around the human's waist and yanked him closer, electing a groan from Ichigo's lips.

Ra cleared his throat. "You're both still in my library."

Ichigo leaned back, a blush coating his cheeks.

Shiro grinned and pulled Ichigo close, grinning at Ra from over Ichigo's shoulder.

Ra rolled his eyes. "God of Shadows, take him home."

Shiro nodded. He stood with Ichigo, changing Ichigo's position so that he lay across his arms.

Ichigo scowled. "But the library is a mess… don't you want help fixing it?"

"I'll manage," Ra replied. "You don't need to spend your last day here with me. Make peace with those you care about."

Ichigo slowly nodded. He'd done that mostly when he thought he was going to die, but now that the situation had changed, Ichigo felt all that much better that he'd taken the time to hang out with his friends and family. Now, he had time to make amends with Shiro.

Ra sighed as he looked between Ichigo and Shiro. He shook his head. "Both of you are young, reckless and foolish…"

Shiro's grin only grew. Ichigo slid a little closer to Shiro, slowly reminding himself that Ra was centuries old, and he tried to compose himself in front of the god.

"Let's get ya home, Ichi…"

Ichigo nodded. He blinked, and they were standing in his kitchen.

Tensa shrieked and Ichigo pushed himself from Shiro's arms so that he could comfort his kitten.

"It's okay, Tensa… shh…" Ichigo picked up the kitten and rocked him in his arms. Tensa eyed Shiro nervously for a minute before he relaxed.

"Hey, Shi?"

Shiro turned to Ichigo.

Ichigo found himself sniffling. "You'll… watch over Tensa while I'm gone, right?"

Shiro's expression softened the moment he saw tears in Ichigo's eyes. For all the bravery Ichigo had shown back in the library, he was still only human. Shiro placed a hand on his lover's shoulder and squeezed gently. "I'll look after him always, my King."

Ichigo hiccupped softly, but Shiro didn't miss the blush crawling over Ichigo's features.

"Ichigo… how would you like to spend the next 24 hours?"

Ichigo shrugged and Tensa squirmed in his arms. Ichigo chuckled and placed the kitten gently down on the floor.

Shiro watched with a small, sad smile. "I can think of a few ways… if you're up for it."

Ichigo saw the flashes of Shiro's suggestion and he gasped a little. "Oh, wait, Shi… I can't ask you to-"

"What? Spoil you?" Shiro teased.

Ichigo could tell Shiro was hurting, he wasn't hiding it from him, but he could also tell that this was what Shiro really wanted. He squirmed a little, "Really? You don't want me to do anything for you?"

"I want the image of your happiness… or of you lost in pleasure to be burned into my memory forever, King."

"Stop calling me that…"

"Why? You like it."

Ichigo blushed a small grin appeared on his lips. "You're right, I do…" If this was Ichigo's last day, he wasn't going to hold back the truth.

"So, what do you say, my King? Anything you desire, I'll give you."

"I don't doubt that. But where to start?"

Shiro grinned at the look in Ichigo's eyes. A hint of mischievousness, a dash of heat. He felt Ichigo's desires as though they were swirling around him. Ichigo definitely wasn't holding back this time, and it was a welcomed feeling for Shiro.

Shiro placed his hands on Ichigo's hips. He leaned into his ear and murmured, "We start at the beginning, I suppose…"

* * *

 **Listen, I don't control them. If Ichigo wants to spend his last 24 hours having some fun with Shiro, who am I to stop him? lol**

 **Your reviews are super appreciated! :D**


	12. A message for you all

Hey everyone,

I've been meaning to do this for a while and it's going to require a lot of work on my part so please bear with me.

I'm going to be making my fanfiction account SFW from this point on.

That means all my previous NSFW stories, this one included, will be taken down from and moved to AO3.

There are some fics that I can just edit out the NSFW pieces and leave on this website for you to enjoy.

There are more details for you to check out on my profile, but I will tell you here that I've come to the conclusion over the past 2 years that my fanfiction needs some cleaning. There are themes present in some fics that I no longer support and I've already deleted those.

Meanwhile, there are also some fics that I really love but I want to clean up and release a 'remastered edition' lol

Know that I am still working on many of my fics and there will be updates soon, but this takes the priority right now.

I hope you understand and have a great day!

And as always, happy reading!


End file.
